Marshawn Lynch has been a real dude since high school. Growing up in Oakland, witnessing ongoing police violence and brutality can have that effect on an individual. During a recent discussion with Conan O’Brien, Lynch explained how he feels about Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem and what it means for justice.

The athlete turned Oakland philanthropist and entrepreneur is usually slight on the words. But, this time around, he had a very specific message to share with those questioning his feelings on Kaep’s protest.

“With what’s going on, I’d rather see him take a knee than stand up, put his hands up and get murdered,” Lynch told O’Brien as he stood with his hands up. “My take on it is [expletive] they got to start somewhere.”

The former Seahawks star went on.

“I just hope people open up their eyes and see that there’s really a problem going on and something needs to be done for it to stop,” Lynch said.

This was one of the first times Lynch has been so candid and willing to speak about his personal concerns with a live audience.

 

Photo: YouTube Screenshot

Author

  • Jenn M. Jackson was born and raised in East Oakland, California, a fact which motivates her writing and academic ambitions. She is a scholar, educator, and writer whose writing addresses Black Politics and civil and public life for young Black people with a focus on policing and surveillance. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Water Cooler Convos, a culture platform for Black millennials. Her writing has been featured in Washington Post, BITCH Magazine, Marie Claire, EBONY, The Root, Daily Dot, The Independent, and many others. Jackson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago studying American Politics with a focus on political participation and engagement, public opinion and social movements. For more about her, tweet her at @JennMJack or visit her website at jennmjackson.com.