San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly went to bat for his backup quarterback on Thursday by getting into it with a reporter.
Kelly, once again, was asked about how he felt regarding Colin Kaepernick protesting the treatment of immigrants in this country by kneeling during the national anthem, but this time he went into detail in defending his player’s actions.
“Well, I think it’s an issue. You look at what’s gone on in Tulsa and Charlotte in the last two nights; it’s an issue that’s at the forefront of our country in that it needs to be addressed, it needs to be taken care of because what’s going on is not right. I think, again, he’s shedding light on a situation that is heinous and shouldn’t happen in this country. We all have inalienable rights as a citizen of this country and they’re being violated and that’s what I think Colin is standing up for.”
But it didn’t stop there. Lowell Cohn of the Press Democrat, who has made his living by posting over-the-top opinions to get a reaction, began badgering him. It started as a question, which Kelly answered, but Cohn then began firing back at him in a challenging tone. Here’s how it sounded:
Chip Kelly and reporter have a back-and-forth on Kaepernick’s activism (via @SakamotoRyan) pic.twitter.com/Tw0dTdVelm
— Kevin Jones (@Mr_KevinJones) September 22, 2016
For once, Kelly wasn’t the biggest jerk in the room.
[Deadspin]