(WXYZ) — Kelly Stafford, wife of Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford, took to social media Saturday to apologize for "not listening" to Colin Kaepernick's protests.
In an Instagram post, Stafford wrote: "This is something that Matthew and I have been thinking and talking about for several months now."
"When Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem, I had strong feelings about it. Even when he kept saying it had nothing to do with the flag or military, I didn’t listen. I kept not listening to him or anyone else and let the political rhetoric persuade me that him kneeling was disrespectful to our military."
"Over the past several months, I have opened my ears, mind, and heart and it has opened my eyes to see how wrong I was and for that I am sorry."
The "strong feelings" Stafford talks about dates back to her 2017 Instagram post where she urged kneeling players to instead stand for the national anthem as unifying act against terrorism, racism, white supremacists and police brutality among other things.
The couple donated $350,000 to endow a social justice program for the University of Georgia Athletics Department, their Georgia alma mater.
"Matthew and I thought this was a good place to start. We are proud to be a part of this program and we will keep fighting to help end this social injustice. Black Lives Matter," Kelly wrote.
Read the full post below:
This is something that Matthew and I have been thinking and talking about for several months now.
When Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem, I had strong feelings about it. Even when he kept saying it had nothing to do with the flag or military, I didn’t listen. I kept not listening to him or anyone else and let the political rhetoric persuade me that him kneeling was disrespectful to our military.
Over the past several months, I have opened my ears, mind, and heart and it has opened my eyes to see how wrong I was and for that I am sorry.
This systematic racism is not going away unless we ALL work on it by working on ourselves and those around us. It’s time for everyone to do their part to help end this system.
Matthew and I thought this was a good place to start. We are proud to be a part of this program and we will keep fighting to help end this social injustice. Black Lives Matter.
