The Aporia · NFL legend Brian Urlacher rips Colin Kaepernick, says protests wouldn't have flown in his locker room

In an interview with OutKick’s “The Craig Carton Show,” former NFL star Brian Urlacher criticized Colin Kaepernick’s protest during the 2016 season, stating such actions would not have been tolerated in his locker room. Urlacher emphasized the importance of unity within a team and suggested that political protests could disrupt this cohesion. He also mentioned that he stopped watching football for two to three years due to issues like Kaepernick's kneeling protest, reflecting how these events affected him personally.

Written by AI on 2026-09-26, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

Story summary

Brian Urlacher, a legendary linebacker for the Chicago Bears, criticized Colin Kaepernick's protest during an appearance on OutKick's "The Craig Carton Show." Urlacher asserted that politics were not significant within the Bears' locker room when he played and emphasized that racial division would harm team unity. He stated that kneeling during the national anthem, as Kaepernick did in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial injustice, would be unacceptable in his locker room and potentially cause a rift among teammates. Urlacher’s comments reflect ongoing debates about social activism within professional sports.

Written for “NFL Player Protests Controversy” on 2026-11-01, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

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The legendary Chicago Bears linebacker talked about Kaepernick's knee-taking and locker room dynamics in general during an appearance on OutKick's "The Craig Carton Show." Carton asked Urlacher if politics were a big thing in the Bears' locker room while he was playing in the league. "No," Urlacher said.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-26

🔮 Colin Kaepernick's infamous protests during the 2016 NFL season are still talked about to this day, but Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher made it clear something like that wouldn't have flown if he was in the same locker room.

2026-09-26 · Fox News

NFL legend Brian Urlacher rips Colin Kaepernick, says protests wouldn't have flown in his locker room · assertive framing

Colin Kaepernick's infamous protests during the 2016 NFL season are still talked about to this day, but Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher made it clear something like that wouldn't have flown if he was in the same locker room. asserted

he → talk → room

Urlacher → talk → league

I didn't even know what I was (politically) back then. asserted

I → know → ?

I didn't care, man... asserted

I → care → ?

You can't have the racial divide in the locker room. asserted

You → have → room

It's just not going to work. asserted

It → go → ?

If you do, your team is going to be s---." asserted

team → do → ?

Urlacher pointed out that everyone in the room is coming together to work toward the same goal, but Kaepernick's anthem protests? asserted

everyone → point → goal

That wouldn't have flown with him. asserted

That → fly → him

"The thing with him taking a knee would have been really, really f---king hard for me to put up with in the locker room," he said. asserted

he → take → room

"That would have been something that would have probably been a line in the sand for me when it comes to stuff like that." asserted

it → come → that

He and Carton both agreed that in the locker room, all that matters is that you're there, not how you got there; an idea that Carton said should probably be applied to society at large. asserted

Carton → agree → society

Urlacher agreed. asserted

Urlacher → agree → ?

"We have to get along (in the locker room)," he said. asserted

he → have → room

"There are going to be spats, don't get me wrong. asserted

me → be → ?

There are some times where you get into it with your teammates, but then literally 30 minutes later it's squashed. asserted

it → be → teammates

You're moving on. asserted

You → move → ?

In fact, it turned him off from the league for years. asserted

it → turn → years

"I'd retired, so I was watching all this happen on TV, and we quit watching. asserted

we → retire → TV

There were probably two, two and a half, three years where we didn't watch football. asserted

we → be → football

I was like, as long as this s---'s taking place, I'm not watching. asserted

I → take → place

So we just didn't watch pro football for a few years there because of all the s--- that was going on." asserted

that → watch → s---

NFL legend Brian Urlacher rips Colin Kaepernick, says protests wouldn't have flown in his locker room

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