Double standards? Nick Bosa faces no consequences for endorsing Donald Trump during NFL’s broadcast but Colin Kaepernick got “punished” after taking a knee
Nick Bosa crashed Brock Purdy's interview while wearing a 'Make America Great Again' hat endorsing Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump.
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Colin Kaepernick and Nick Bosa (Image Credits: L-via IMAGO, R-via Brandon Vaccaro)
Following the San Francisco 49ers’ victory over the Dallas Cowboys, star defensive end Nick Bosa believed there was no better time to endorse his choice of political candidate with under 10 days left to go for the Presidential Elections. Bosa crashed quarterback Brock Purdy‘s interview after the team’s six-point victory and was seen live on camera sporting a ‘Make America Great Again’ hat expressing his support to Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Nick Bosa‘s decision to endorse Donald Trump did not attract criticism from the NFL, at least not yet. However, it rubbed a select group of fans the wrong way because he got no pushback for his actions.
Bosa’s attempt to endorse Donald Trump was compared by few to former San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem a few years ago.
The reason for the criticism comes from the speculation that there was a visible double standard in play here. Colin Kaepernick took a knee for a noble cause, to raise awareness on the racial inequalities in America.
????????: Fans around the league are extremely upset that Nick Bosa wore a MAGA hat on last night's broadcast with "no pushback" while Colin Kaepernick got "punished" after taking a knee for Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/6wrE4ivhyK
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 28, 2024
It was to demand for Black people to be treated with dignity and on the same page as other citizens of the country. However, Nick Bosa merely crashed an interview wearing a hat with Donald Trump’s slogan on it.
Nick Bosa is likely to be fined by the NFL over his endorsement of Donald Trump
Realistically, there is no double standard in this situation. To compare Nick Bosa’s situation to that of Colin Kaepernick‘s would be similar to comparing apples and oranges. Bosa endorsed a candidate of his choice on live television.
At the maximum, his actions will invite a fine from the NFL for violating Article 8 of the league’s 2024 rulebook which prohibits players from wearing or displaying messages through the means of helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, mouthpieces, or other game-related accessories relating to political activities or causes.
NFL players are free to vouch for a candidate of their choice outside the gridiron. Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker endorsed Trump earlier this month at a Missouri rally for Senator Josh Hawley. The only thing Bosa did in this instance was reveal his political preference while in his uniform. He did not urge fans to vote for the Republican party but said,
I’m not gonna talk too much about it, but I think it’s an important time.
Nick Bosa to the camera before running out of frame
Colin Kaepernick voiced his dissent against an entire nation and not just a political party or candidate. His actions were focused on sending a message about the racial inequalities faced by Black folks and individuals of other races. It was not about endorsing one at the expense of another, but an action meant to inspire a social message and to serve as an immediate call for action.
As soon as Nick Bosa was captured live on NBC with this hat, the network was quick to cut the defensive end out in the edited version of the postgame video. The network posted this version onto its X account but deleted it shortly after when fans called them out for attempting to suppress the athlete endorsing his candidate on live television.
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Sumedh Joshi
(2235 Articles Published)