Former Dallas Cowboys star Dez Bryant lashed out at Colin Kaepernick this week, calling out the ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback for not creating jobs.
Bryant Calls Out Kaepernick
Bryant attacked Kaepernick while appearing on the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast on Monday, and a clip of his blistering comments immediately went viral.
You can listen to his comments below.
@DezBryant calls out Colin Kaepernick on @IAMATHLETEpod pic.twitter.com/1fEgRuK5To
— Sports Now with Darius & Aiden (@SportsNow_DA) September 27, 2021
“I respect Colin Kaepernick. But there is one thing that I don’t respect and I said when I get the opportunity and to get on the stage and say it, I would say it. And I love him to death. So there ain’t no hate or nothing like that,” Bryant said.
“But brotha, you had the biggest opportunity in the world to create jobs, to build jobs, to give jobs to people,” he added. “The people you was talking about. The people that you were so-called ‘standing up for.’ People who stood beside you, people who lost their jobs because of you. Where you at? I ain’t heard from you. He brought the awareness and that’s why I respect him.”
When asked what the call to action was, Bryant responded by saying that there wasn’t one.
Related: Netflix Drops First Trailer For ‘Woke’ Colin Kaepernick Series ‘Colin In Black & White’
Bryant’s Past Attacks On Kaepernick
Fox News reported that this was not the first time that Bryant spoke out against Kaepernick publicly. In 2017, he said that while he could give him credit for kneeling during the national anthem, he was also firmly against the practice.
“I’m not criticizing nobody. They’re free to do whatever they want,” he said at the time. “Hell no I’m not doing none of that. Their beliefs are their beliefs, and I’m not saying that it’s wrong – because they’re feeling a certain way.”
Bryant also slammed Kaepernick on Twitter in 2019:
“The narrative was created and the dialogue began but that’s just the first step. Where are the next steps?” Bryant asked at the time. “Where is the action behind the words. How do we expect any change if we leave it here. Your attempt to gain entry back into a league that does not agree with your views .. what has and what will change? It is still the same league. At the end of the day you have all the eyes and ears.”
Related: Fox Sports Host Clay Travis: Colin Kaepernick’s ‘Problems Exceed His Talent’ And He’s ‘No Victim’
‘Lead The People The Right Way’
“Lead the people the right way,” he added. “Create the examples through actions such as what Jay Z has done with collaborating with the NFL in an initiative to create something to benefit social Justice as well as help athletes as myself through life and our careers.”
“Helping us by lifting us through education and knowledge,” Kaepernick said. “Equipping people to sow seeds of knowledge into their respective communities. When it’s all said and done if nothing changes what was gained?”
@Kaepernick7 … I’m not against you I’m with you.. I just want to see the change as well pic.twitter.com/6cGW6If0wE
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) November 20, 2019
Given the fact that Kaepernick has a “woke” army behind him, many celebrities are far to afraid of backlash to criticize him publicly. But, not Dez Bryant.