TIME

How sports can move beyond lip-service patriotism

Eric Reid, left, and Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers kneel during the national anthem on Sept. 1

WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF fans packed into stadiums across the country and millions more watching on TV, the NFL kicked off its new season on Sept. 11 with a ritual that has become a given at American sporting events: playing the national anthem. Only this time, not every athlete went along. Following the lead of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who said he stopped standing during the

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