On Monday night, retired NFL wide receiver and overall football legend Jerry Rice chimed in on the ongoing controversy with Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers and his decision to sit out the national anthem before football games.
Videos by FanBuzz
Kaepernick explained last weekend that he will not stand for the singing of the national anthem as a form of protest against systematic racism in America.
Many have chimed in on the matter, but to 49ers fans, Rice's comments might have a little more impact. He played for the team for more than a dozen years and is arguably its most famous alum.
"All lives matter," Rice wrote Monday night. "So much going on in this world today.Can we all just get along! Colin,I respect your stance but don't disrespect the Flag."
https://twitter.com/JerryRice/status/770451825921105920
Shortly after Rice made his comment, people started to come after him, and many of his fans disagreed with his stance.
"Not a good look, sir," one fan wrote before eventually saying "fuck Jerry Rice's 'alllivesmatter' ass."
RELATED: Ben Carson explained why he thinks Colin Kaepernick was wrong to sit through the national anthem
Others invoked the name of the dozens of African Americans impacted by police violence.
"Can we all just get along? How much respect did the officers have beating Rodney King's ass while they wore the flag?" one fan asked. "How much respect did those officers wearing flags on their shoulders have for Tamir Rice, John Crawford, Alton Sterling."
The comments section of Rice's tweet soon turned into a free-for-all of political debate, with many 49ers fans siding with Kaepernick.
"Give me a break!" one fan wrote. "A flag isn't more important than the citizens he's speaking out for. A song doesn't define patriotism."
