Colin Kaepernick and Nick Bosa (Photos via Getty Images)

After a big 30-24 victory for the San Francisco 49ers over the Dallas Cowboys, defensive end Nick Bosa made the night about him when he found himself under NFL scrutiny-not for his on-field performance, but for his choice of postgame attire that had fans thinking of Coln Kaepernick.

The San Francisco 49ers’ defensive end has been facing backlash online ever since he wore a “Make America Great Again” cap during a teammate’s interview.

His actions reignited discussions about his past negative comments regarding Colin Kaepernick, who protested against racism and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.

Unfortunately, the talk around Nick Bosa wasn’t nearly as bad as what Colin Kaepernick went through.

The NFL has avoided overt political messages since Kaepernick’s anthem protests against police brutality against Black Americans.

Kaepernick received heavy media scrutiny, was quickly exiled from the NFL, and was never given a second chance because of his actions.

There is no chance of that happening to Nick Bosa.

Now, fans have unearthed the two-word message that Bosa once had for the former San Francisco quarterback.

The contrast in public reactions to what Bosa did and what Kaepernick did underscores ongoing tensions around race, politics, and sports.

Many people do not want politics in sports until it aligns with their beliefs, and then it is just fine.

Nick Bosa called Colin Kaepernick a “clown” in a tweet from August 2016.

Bosa was a freshman with the Ohio State Buckeyes when he posted a Tweet in which he called Colin Kaepernick “a clown” in response to his protests during the national anthem.

The Tweet was one of many controversial posts he deleted leading up to the 2019 NFL Draft, in which the 49ers selected Bosa with the No. 2 overall pick.

Nick Bosa Addressed Calling Colin Kaepernick A “Clown” After Being Drafted

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa once called Colin Kaepernick a clown for kneeling during the National Anthem.

He addressed this controversy during his introductory press conference with San Francisco back in 2019.

“It wasn’t directed towards (Kaepernick’s stance),” Bosa said back in 2019, according to ESPN. “It’s not like I’m saying his stance and what he was doing, that’s not what I was calling or talking about at all. It was just a specific thing that happened and me as a young kid a thought popping in my head and boom, decided to tweet it out. Bad decision. I respect what he’s done. If it empowers anybody, then he’s doing a good thing. So, I apologize for that.”

Bosa vowed to “grow up” and “learn a lot of new things” after being selected by San Francisco.