#Colin Kaepernick will be considered a ‘hero’ like Pat Tillman: Brett Favre

The Hall of Fame quarterback said Kaepernick will receive “hero status” for his willingness to sacrifice his NFL career to protest racial and social injustice, comparing him to Pat Tillman — the former Cardinals safety who left football to join the Army Rangers after Sept. 11.

“I can only think of right off the top of my head, Pat Tillman is another guy that did something similar,” Favre told TMZ Sports. “And, we regard him as a hero. So, I’d assume that hero status will be stamped with Kaepernick as well.”

Tillman was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 by friendly fire. He played four NFL seasons for the Cardinals after being taken in the seventh round of the 1998 draft before giving up his NFL dreams to fight for his country.

Kapernick was in his sixth season with the 49ers in 2016 when he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and police brutality. He was released after that season and has yet to sign another contract, filing a grievance in 2017 that the NFL and its owners were colluding to keep him out of the league.

“It’s not easy for a guy his age — black or white, Hispanic, whatever — to stop something that you’ve always dreamed of doing, and put it on hold, maybe forever, for something that you believe in,” Favre said.

In light of the growing protests against systemic racism and police brutality around the country after the police-related death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Kaepernick has recently been thrust back into the spotlight. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN last week he would support and encourage a team signing Kaepernick. Favre believes the 32-year-old could still play if given the opportunity.

“I thought he was a dynamic player when he was playing in his prime,” Favre said. “He’s still young and hasn’t been hit in several years, so there’s no reason to think that he’s lost that much of a step.”