National Football League

49ers backing Colin Kaepernick, donating $1M to groups addressing social inequities

Published Sep. 8, 2016 6:47 p.m. ET

foxsports

The San Francisco 49ers are financially backing Colin Kaepernick's cause, announcing Thursday that they are donating $1 million to two Bay Area groups that address social inequality.

The team will make those donations to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation.

“Today, I am committing that the 49ers Foundation will contribute $1 million to the cause of improving racial and economic inequality and fostering communication and collaboration between law enforcement and the communities they serve here in the Bay Area," owner Jed York said in a statement on the team's website.

Kaepernick has vowed to donate the first $1 million of his 2016 salary in addition to the money he earns from jersey sales this season to similar groups. His jersey has become the league's best seller since he began not standing for the national anthem to bring awareness to social injustices.

Kaepernick has come under fire for his stance, which has been seen by some as disrespecting members of the military. He said Wednesday that his protest isn't "against men and women of the military." When he first made headlines for not standing during the anthem late last month, he said, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

Other players have since joined Kaepernick's protest. His teammate Eric Reid, Seahawks defensive back Jeremy Lane and women's soccer star Megan Rapinoe also have declined to stand.