As debates over Colin Kaepernick's unsigned status and the merits of his National Anthem protest rage on, fans are beginning to see some players peel off and make gestures that place them in solidarity with his stance. Some who've been altogether silent have begun to show he's got their attention, and others who had been vocal but were largely critical as they remained on the fence, have crossed over. But then there are the journalists, players, and executives who unapologetically admit that they wouldn't take the former 49ers QB unless he shapes up in one way or another, if at all.

As legendary as he was for his civil rights activism during his playing days, Jim Brown hasn't held back his criticism of Kaep, although he does leave open a window of consideration for the 29-year-old Milwaukee native to get his support, should Kaepernick definitively choose between football and activism. He'd also have to reconcile his relationship with the nation's symbols of patriotism, Brown says.

"If you have a cause I think you should organize it. Present it in a manner where it's not only you sitting on one knee but a lot of people that is going to get behind each other and do something about it," Brown told a reporter with The Post Game on Thursday, August 24. "It does have meaning to me and I think that I want to be in his corner. And I do think, god bless him, but that's not my leadership."

Brown would go on attempting to clarify what he was stating, in as responsible a manner as he could. "I can't be two things at once that contradict each other," he said of Kaepernick's protest on the sidelines and play on the field. He says that when athletes sign on for so much money they have an obligation to run out there without distractions brought about by societal opinions. But then Brown brought up the point that many have suspected to be at the root of the NFL boycott, perhaps mistakingly, or perhaps with the purpose of reinforcing the idea that the politics do have something to do with his jobless status.

"If I sign for money, then the people I sign with, they have rules and regulations. But I'm gonna give you the real deal," said Brown

"I'm an American. I don't desecrate my flag and my National Anthem. I'm not gonna do anything against the flag and the National Anthem. I'm going to work within those situations."