Presidential Republican candidate Donald Trump managed to include a dig at Colin Kaepernick’s quest for social justice during a recent rally in Colorado.
In a clip posted by CNN on Saturday (Oct. 29), a disgruntled Trump praised the residents for skipping out on a Broncos game scheduled around the same time. From there, Trump decided to blame Kaepernick for the league’s declining viewership. Sports Illustrated reports Monday Night Football took a 24 percent dive from last year, while Sunday Night Football is down 19 percent and Thursday night is down 18 percent.
“I don’t know if you know, but the NFL is way down in their ratings. Way down,” Trump said. “And you know why? Two reasons. Number one is, this politics they’re finding is a rougher game than football, and more exciting. Honestly, we’ve taken a lot of people away from the NFL. And the other reason is Kaepernick. Kaepernick.”
The San Francisco 49ers QB made headlines based on his decision to take a knee during the national anthem. His actions have inspired many Americans including veterans and Black Lives Matter advocates. His take on police accountability has also made him a villain among those who support Blue Lives Matter groups. Kaepernick previously responded to Trump when he suggested the athlete should move to another country.
“He always says make America great again, ” Kaepernick said. “Well, America has never been great for people of color. That’s something that needs to be addressed. Let’s make America great for the first time.”
The 2016 World Series and the latest NBA season are striking up the most interest in viewership. Given the Cubs potentially historic victory and the major team shake-ups on the basketball court, the NFL doesn’t have the juice to catch up.
Check out Trump’s thoughts below.