Mike Ditka has "no respect" for Colin Kaepernick or any athletes who protest the national anthem at sporting events.
The Hall-of-Fame former NFL player and coach opened up on the topic in a radio interview on Friday.
"I have no respect for Colin Kaepernick and he probably has no respect for me," Ditka told hosts on Dallas' 105.3 The Fan.
"I like this country. I respect our flag and I don't see all the atrocities going on in this country that people say are going on," Ditka continued.
Kaepernick — a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers — has made headlines this year by sitting or kneeling during the national anthem before games. He first protested the song on Aug. 14 and has since sparked similar protests from athletes across the country.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told reporters after one protest.
Ditka apparently doesn't see Kaepernick's argument.
"This is the land of opportunity because you can be anything you want to be if you work," Ditka said on Friday. "If you don't work that's another problem."
LISTEN TO DITKA'S COMMENTS BELOW.
Clint Davis covers entertainment and trending news topics for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @MrClintDavis.
