DENVER (AP) – Colin Kaepernick called them his brothers.

Kenny Stills and Albert Wilson, dolphin teammates, were the only two players to play the anthem at the opening of the NFL on Sunday.

"My brothers (Stills) and (Wilson) continue to show their unwavering strength in fighting for the oppressed," Kapernick said in his tweet. "They did not back down even when they were attacked and intimidated … Love is the basis of our resistance."

It was Kaepernick, then with the 49ers, who sparked the controversy of the anthem by kneeling during the pre-game ritual in 2016 – his way of protesting police brutality and social injustice in America.

Since retiring from his contract after this season, Kaepernick has not been able to land a job with an NFL team and is suing the league for collusion.

But his voice is still heard. Last week, Nike featured an ad featuring the quarterback and his message: "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything."

On Sunday, Kaepernick's message was passed on to his friends in Miami.

"I know he's got our backs," Stills said. "Really, there was a huge difference between when we started to protest and now, a lot of people support us, so I really appreciate it, and for everyone, let's continue to do our best to change and have these conversations and make our country a better place. "

While Stills and Wilson were kneeling during the anthem, teammate Robert Quinn raised his fist. Niners player Marquise Goodwin did the same at the San Francisco Minnesota game. In Los Angeles, Chargers left striker Russell Okung raised his fist. Broncos receivers Demaryius Thomas and linebacker Brandon Marshall, as well as Seahawks linemen Duane Brown and Quinton Jefferson retreated into their respective tunnels while the anthem was played.

At the apogee of the anthem, protests took place, up to 200 players. On most weeks of last year, the Seahawks led the way with the most players. Although that number dropped to 2 to start 2018, Brown was not worried.

"I made my decision, it was my decision," he said. "I did not pay attention to what other teams or players are doing."

The NFL had briefly implemented a hymn policy in May, but canceled it after the players union had filed a grievance, which sent the league to the bargaining table with the union. These talks are under way. Brown said he had not heard any word from the union dissuading the protests of the players during the anthem.

"I do not think it would be the best idea to try to move people forward," he said. "The country is not far away, so I will not spend it either."

President Donald Trump, who tweeted several hours before Kaepernick's, took advantage of the NFL slots and made a connection between Thursday night's results between Atlanta and Philadelphia (further down for a match). opening since 2008)) to players who refuse to represent the anthem.

"If the players stood up proudly for our flag and our anthem, and everything is shown to broadcast, maybe the ratings could come back? Otherwise worse!" he tweeted.

CBS and Fox, who played Sunday afternoon games, said they did not intend to televise the anthem.

However, NBC featured the anthem Thursday night (but not before the Sunday night Bears-Packers match), and no player knelt or protested otherwise.

That included Malcolm Jenkins of the Eagles, who raised his fist during the anthem last season but did not make the first match. During the pre-game warm-ups, he wore a shirt that said "Ca $ h bail = poverty trap".

Jenkins, one of the founders of the Players Coalition, created to tackle issues similar to those that concern Kaepernick, said he wanted to divert attention from the national anthem.

"I think it's extremely important that we draw attention not just to the issues, but to what players actually do in their communities to promote change," he said. "We try to go beyond the rhetoric of what is good and what is not, and focus on the systematic problems that affect our communities."

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