O.J. Simpson opined on Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest in his first interview since being released from prison, calling Kaepernick’s decision a “mistake.”
The former NFL star gave an interview to the Buffalo News about a range of topics, including Kaepernick’s choice to kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality.
“I think Colin made a mistake,” he said. “I really appreciate what he was trying to say. I thought he made a bad choice in attacking the flag.”
He added: “The flag shouldn’t be disrespected because of what cops do. The flag represents what we want America to be …”
O.J. appeared to be fine with Kaepernick’s bravery to protest the first time he knelt, but questioned the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback’s decision to continue doing it for months.
“When he did it the first time, I thought, ‘Well, you took a gamble, and I give you credit.’ But it was him continuing to do it where he made the biggest mistake.”
“I’m a firm believer of doing what you think is right, but I would always stand for the flag,” he continued.
Simpson was released from prison last year after serving time for armed robbery and kidnapping. A previously unseen interview from 2006 recently aired, in which he gave a hypothetical account of killing his former wife Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman in 1994.