Osi Umenyiora defends Colin Kaepernick's right to protest over American anthem

BBC pundit firmly in 49ers quarterback's camp

BBC pundit Osi Umenyiora believes the 49ers' Colin Kaepernick is right to stand up - or kneel down - for what he believes

Osi Umenyiora, the former New York Giants defensive end who adds his wit and humour to the BBC’s American football highlights show, fully supports Colin Kaepernick’s decision to protest against the American national anthem, an act which has dominated the build-up to the new NFL season.

Kaepernick, the 49ers back-up quarterback, has taken to kneeling down during The Star-Spangled Banner in pre-season matches in a stand against racial inequality and police brutality against African Americans in his country.

Three players, his 49ers team-mate Eric Reid, the Denver Bronco Brandon Marshall and Seattle Seahawk Jeremy Lane, have joined Kaeperkick in refusing to stand for the anthem and there is now even talk of the entire Seahawks team taking a knee ahead of their first match of the season at the weekend.

“He’s exercising his rights as an American,” Umenyiora tells The Independent. “He is well within his rights to do that. He’s calling attention to an issue that people are trying to sweep under the rug or that most athletes tend to stay away from.

Colin Kaepernick has spoken out about police violence against the black people of America (Getty)

“Here he is, a famous guy, a famous athlete and he’s taking a stand for something. You have to applaud it. I wish more athletes would do exactly what it is that he is doing in some capacity. I’m not saying they should sit down or take a knee or whatever but they should stand up for something.”

Marshall of the Broncos took a knee during Thursday night’s NFL season opener against Carolina Panthers as the protest spilt into the new campaign. “It felt like the right thing to do,” he said after the repeat of last season’s Super Bowl.

When the action started Denver again came out victorious beating the Panthers 21-20. Last season Carolina finished 15 and 1. They now have the one already. Not that Umenyiora is surprised. He felt they were overrated last term. “They will struggle to repeat what they did last year,” he says. “Yeah, they were 15 and 1 but they were a pretty flawed team. They were exposed in the Super Bowl and that’s going to continue this year. They are not going to have a terrible season but are they going to be able to repeat what they did last season? No way.

“Cam Newton is a good quarterback, a tremendous athlete, has really good arm strength, can run and throw the football but his weaknesses are reading the defence and especially if you give him some confusing looks. He struggles with his accuracy at times.”

So who does the 34-year-old think will be the teams to beat? “It’s difficult right now because there is so much parity in the NFL so it’s so hard to pick out a team that will do really well. But I’d say maybe Pittsburgh and the Giants.

“Pittsburgh have the tremendous quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, two times Super Bowl winner, and the wide receiver Antonio Brown who is a really good football player but the Giants have Eli Manning, Odel Beckham Jnr, Olivier Vernon. Vernon is the defensive end they have just bought in from Miami. They have some great players.”

Some of Beckham Jnr’s grabs have been amazing over the last two seasons but can he maintain the blistering start he has made to life in the NFL? “Why not? He has the best two seasons ever for a receiver beginning his NFL career – so it’s not just hype with him,” Umenyiora says. “He is a really good player.”

And are there any newcomers that Umenyiora thinks will light up the league? “Blake Bordells, the Jaguars quarter-back will have a strong season, he’s primed for a good year,” he says. “Plus look out for Derek Carr, the Raiders quarterback, and RG3 [Robert Griffin III] who came from Washington Redskins to the Cleveland Browns – keep an eye on him also.”

One man who can’t light up the season just yet is Tom Brady, the quarterback of the New England Patriots, who is serving a four game ban for his part in “deflategate”, the furore surrounding his side’s intentionally underinflated footballs to make them harder for the opposition to handle. Has Brady been singled out?

“No, I think he obviously had something to hide,” Umenyiora says. “The NFL would not have come after him the way they did if they didn’t know something. So he got caught, he’s got to serve his time. Period. There’s no preferential treatment for anybody by the NFL, they made that clear. He got caught now he’s gotta do his time.”

The 2016/17 NFL Season Kicks Off this weekend – catch all the highlights on Tuesday nights on BBC 2 and Saturdays on BBC1 after Match of the Day