At Nevada, coach Chris Ault and quarterback Colin Kaepernick were a great combination. Today they part ways when it comes to Kaepernick’s decision to sit out the national anthem.
Ault wrote in a letter to the Reno Gazette-Journal that he strongly disagrees with the way Kaepernick is expressing his concerns about police brutality.
“Kap using an NFL game as his platform to show the importance of his cause was selfish,” Ault said. “Not standing up for an American treasure such as the National Anthem is disrespectful and clearly has shortchanged the essence of his message because the attention of an uneasy America is on him, not the cause he values.”
Ault also said he’s concerned that Kaepernick’s career will suffer.
“You never lead by sitting down – during the national anthem or anywhere – so for me it’s not the message that’s troubling, it’s the platform and the way it was delivered,” Ault wrote. “Kap is too young and talented to get written off and I worry an act like this could have a negative impact on him and his career. He’s a great young man. Guys like him can make a difference, but it’s just a lot easier to make that point when you’re excelling on the field.”
Football coaches tend to be conservative and generally want players focused on nothing more than the game on the field, so it’s not surprising that Ault and former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh don’t agree with Kaepernick’s stance. It’s also a reminder that if Kaepernick gets cut by the 49ers, he may have trouble finding another coach who wants him on his team.