Once the center of attention of millions of sports fans, Colin Kaepernick has now become old news.

Kaepernick was the man who dragged controversy into America’s favorite pastime, football. Kaepernick, who is the back-up quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, became the focus of America after Jennifer Lee Chan of Niners Nation tweeted a picture of the 49ers, on August 26, 2016, standing for the national anthem.

However, it was noticed by some Twitter users that out of all the players that stood, Colin Kaepernick was not one of them. Instead, he knelt down on the side of the football field and when confronted about his actions, he stated, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” In the following weeks after this event, people shared their opinions regarding Kaepernick, some agreeing while others displayed disgust by his actions, calling him unpatriotic and selfish. As seen in The Patriot Press poll asking whether  students supported  his refusal to stand, results concluded that 62 percent said they did not support his actions while  only 39 percent said they did.

Aside from WHHS students, people worldwide had something to say about the Kaepernick situations, which makes it even harder to understand why his story has disappeared from sports news channels like Fox Sports, CNN sports, and CBS Sports. Instead, news of Jay Cutler, quarterback of the Bears, hurting his thumb and the Ravens Football team going on a winning streak, have become the primary interests.

His message, however, was able to spread and reach out to other teams like the Miami Dolphins, who had players like Jelani Jenkins, Arian Foster, and Michael Thomas that knelt during the anthem. Kaepernick’s message has even affected high school-level football, one significant example being Seattle’s Garfield High School, whose entire team knelt down for social justice.

From players to coaches,  all individuals decided to express their thoughts and represent symbols of both unity and equality.

Former football player of WHHS, Anthony Iacovelli, agreed with Kaepernick’s movement to end social injustice, stating that “what he is doing is smart.”

 Other Wayne Hills High School students like Anthony Zungoli, who is a team member of the WHHS boys soccer team disagrees with his actions, stating that  “his message is well intended but the way he goes about it isn’t.” Overall, Kaepernick may have become old news for the professional level of sports, but his message has trickled down to the likes of high school-level football teams and even other sports.