Majority of Americans now support NFL players' right to protest during national anthem

The death of George Floyd and protests surrounding racial injustice and police brutality have heavily shifted how Americans view athletes who protest during the national anthem.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick hasn't been on an NFL roster since the conclusion of the 2016 campaign, which was the same year he became a target of criticism for kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice.

In the wake of many "Black Lives Matter" protests, a majority (52 %) of Americans now agree that it's okay for NFL players to kneel during the national anthem, according to Yahoo. In 2018, only 35% of people agreed with Kaepernick's right to protest, according to another Yahoo News/YouGov poll. 

After his stint with the 49ers came to a close, Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL, stating he was ousted from the league for his views on the sensitive situation, and it was eventually settled.

According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, the 32-year-old is said to be "more motivated to play than ever" in the NFL, and it comes after league commissioner Roger Goodell finally condemned racism and promoted peaceful protesting of racial injustice.

His desire to return to the NFL spurs from the racial injustice protests following the death of Floyd, and probably because Kaepernick likely wants to be a leader in change around the league.

Floyd, an African American man, died two weeks ago after he was violently apprehended by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. The incident was recorded on video by a witness.

The 46-year-old Floyd was pinned to the ground by Chauvin, who then proceeded to kneel on his neck. Floyd pleaded for his life and told Chauvin he couldn't breathe, but Chauvin refused to move, as the video showed.

Floyd was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Chauvin was arrested on May 29 on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. On June 3, Chauvin's charge was upgraded to second-degree murder, and three other now-former officers who were on the scene are facing charges.