Take a knee: aspiring NFL players at Colin Kaepernick's protests

In August 2016, during a preseason game in the American NFL, a storm began.

Colin Kaepernick, at the time San Francisco 49ers player, sits at the sound of the US national anthem.

When that was noticed, the 28-year-old then explained that he was doing it to "stand by the side of the oppressed".

"This position was not for me, it's because I see things happen to people who do not have a voice, who do not have a platform to talk to and who have the floor and make changes, so I'm in the position where I can do it and I'm going to do it for people who can not. "

He inspired the protests of other team players across the country, drew the anger of those who disagreed and led the NFL to suggest fines to teams whose players had knelt under the anthem.

But almost two and a half years later, Colin Kaepernick is without a team.

Radio 1 Newsbeat wanted to know what effect, if any, the protests had on future NFL players.

In the week leading up to the Super Bowl, we spent time with college players at Georgia State University and during their training. This is a transcript of what they said.

Newsbeat: You train since 7am. Up since even earlier. It's -4C. Why?

Rémy Lazarus, 21: The reason we do it every day is simply a love of the game – it's as simple as I can say.

It's become second nature, 7h is what I consider now. I love football.

Ed Curny, 23 years old: I play this game since the age of five. It changed my life. That made me a man. When I arrived here, I was a little boy.

I love him with all my heart. I am in an excellent program, I do this job every day with my brothers. They help me everyday, I have pain and I'm tired – like everyone else – but these guys come looking for me.

Remy: The fraternity and bond you see are developing naturally. You see it like this – someone lives hell the way I do, he has to be mentally strong like me. This brings us together naturally.

Ed: I would give my life to play this game.

Newsbeat: Did the events of Colin Kaepnerick change your perception of football?

Remy: Colin Kaepernick, what he did, I do not know if I'd be brave enough to do it – give up my career for a bigger cause than me.

I would like to say that I would do it but that it was presented to him, so he did it first.

Ed: Being African-American is more difficult.

Make the decision to protest during the national anthem – the national anthem is like a prayer in America – it's so important. And for you to say, "I focus on that and what I believe in," instead of prioritizing the country and the people who built this country? It's hard, it's hard.

But what Colin Kaepernick did, I think it's good for the players and for the African-American culture.

Remy: The Take A Knee event is a big problem for me. I think this is necessary, I think it brings to light a very big problem in America, namely the injustice to minorities – especially blacks.

I do not think at all that it changes my opinion on football, I love the game – the game itself is not the source of the injustice, it is the people who run the It's the people who are at the top of the pyramid.

Devin Gentry, 21: Players have made sacrifices to open doors to guys like me.

Remy: I think it is necessary, that someone must do it and that it be him.

Ed: It's one thing we like, but the other is that we have to respect the guys who go out every day and fight for us.

I think it's a good thing at times – but in the end, you must always respect the guys who risk their lives for us every day.

Remy: This highlights an important point. What you see now in the players, getting into the communities, talking to the forces – the police, firefighters – people like that, going to the community to try to help them, that's what which we need.

Someone had to light up on it.

Ed: I really love what Colin Kaepernick did because he was the first to take a stand and that he is African-American in this country, it's powerful.

Hat to Colin Kaepernick – I like it at home and all the other players who stand behind him and who rock with him.

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