After San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat during the national anthem before a recent game, NBC 5 spoke with a North Texas trainer about athletes in the public eye.
"Athletes are becoming more opinionated than ever before," said Angel Rivera, owner of All Out Sports Training in Dallas.
Rivera has coached several players who have made it to the NFL, and works with athletes in several sports. But it is about more than just physical conditioning. He also teaches them about living in the eye in the age of social media, where what you do can be there for a lifetime.
"Words are powerful, and by all means, they are more powerful now than before," said Rivera.
So, too, are actions. Kaepernick sat during the national anthem, saying he was bringing attention to racial injustice.
"There's people being murdered unjustly and not being held accountable," Kaepernick later explained.
His position has been talked about since he played Friday.
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Now, other NFL players are being asked their opinion on Kaepernick, an example of how one person's actions can affect a whole league.
"It is tough. Like, he did it – I would not suggest anybody else do it – but he did it, so I mean that's all the power to him. That's his choice," said Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Brice Butler.
