Advertisement

Kaepernick shirt 'bestseller' amid anthem controversy

The number 7 red jersey worn by Kaepernick were hardly selling before the incident Credit: Reuters

Colin Kaepernick, the NFL quaterback who sparked controversy by refusing to stand for the national anthem, has inadvertently seen his team jersey become a number one bestseller.

Since speaking out against police brutality, Kaepernick's red number seven shirt has reached the top of the NFL Shop Best Seller's list - beating Philadelphia Eagles' Carson Wentz and Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys into the top spot.

Before last month, sales of both his red and white jerseys were ranked poorly with the player only a backup quarterback coming off a forgettable year.

Kaepernick has faced a fierce backlash over his "disrespectful" stance, with some fans refusing the watch his side - the San Francisco 49ers - play.

However he has also received support from team-mate Eric Reid and MLS star Megan Rapinoe.

On a visit to China for the G20 summit, US President Barack Obama waded into the debate and said Kaepernick was just "exercising his constitutional right to make a statement".

"What he's done is generate more conversation around some topics that need to be talked about", he added.