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Jenkins talks about Kaepernick's anthem boycott

INDIANAPOLIS -- When they played the National Anthem Saturday night before the Eagles' preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, every player from both teams stood and honored the American flag on the field.

No one chose to follow San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's controversial lead and sit during the playing of it to protest the killing of African-Americans by police across the country.

Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins is every bit as upset about the situation as Kaepernick. But he's not sure the quarterback's actions are going to accomplish anything, other than ignite a national firestorm of vitriol.

"(Kaepernick) disgracing the flag or whatever, being unpatriotic, (disrespecting) the troops, that's what's going to be talked about,'' Jenkins said after the Eagles' 33-23 preseason win over the Colts. "It's not going to be the lives that have been lost across the country and the things that are being done to minorities all across this country. That's what's not going to be in the headlines. It's going to be about him.''

Jenkins stopped well short of saying that what Kaepernick did was wrong.

"It's a tough situation,'' he said. "But at the same time, if you've got something that you're passionate about and that's your way of expressing it, he's got all the right to do it.

"I'm a guy of conviction. I speak out on the things that I see. So I can't really look at what he's doing and tell him he's wrong.''

But Jenkins said he couldn't do it what Kaepernick did. He loves his country too much. Respects the people that serve in the military too much.

"We stand there for the National Anthem and sometimes those thoughts go through your mind,'' he admitted. "Do I want to actually acknowledge this? Because you might be upset about what's going on.

"But me personally, I have a lot of friends that served (in the military). My grandfather served. And this is a country that I love. So, me not standing for the National Anthem isn't really going to get me the results that I want.''

"I'd rather be doing something in the community (about the situation). Talking to people that can actually make some change. That's just my approach. But everybody's got their own convictions and everybody has their own opinions.

"I'm not one to tell him he's right or wrong.