Will QB Colin Kaepernick stand for anthem? CBS clarifies report

NEW YORK — A CBS reporter has clarified his televised report saying quarterback Colin Kaepernick told him he would stand during the national anthem if he played in the NFL again, saying he didn’t discuss the issue with the player when they spoke.

Jason La Canfora said in a series of tweets on Sunday that he was relaying previous reporting about Kaepernick and did not ask whether the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback would sit or stand during the anthem.

The reversal came after anchor James Brown asked La Canfora on “The NFL Today”: “And kneeling, he said?”

La Canfora responded: “He’s not planning on kneeling. He’s going to donate all his jersey sales and he’s planning on standing for the anthem if given the opportunity, J.B.”

La Canfora tweeted later that he does not know what Kaepernick would do during the anthem.

Relying on unnamed sources, ESPN reported in March that Kaepernick would stand during the anthem if he played again. But Kaepernick has not spoken publicly about what he would do.

Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem last season to bring more attention to the killings of black men by police officers. The protests spread this season after the former San Francisco 49er was unable to sign on with another team.

The issue has grown this season as Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett recently said he was racially profiled by Las Vegas police during a confrontation, and President Donald Trump aggressively chastised players and owners for protesting during the anthem.