Tennessee Titans' Rishard Matthews to Wear Kaepernick Cleats for Charity

Tennessee Titans' Rishard Matthews will wear cleats in support of Colin Kaepernick's charity for the My Cause My Cleats initiative.

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Kaepernick Wins Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award

Matthews posted a photo of cleats – sporting Kaepernick's Know Your Rights Camp campaign logo – accompanied by a message explaining why he chose to promote the former 49ers' charity.

"He has paid the ultimate sacrifice in order to bring true everyday issues to light," Matthews wrote about Kaepernick.

One week out of the National Football League (NFL) regular season the dress code is relaxed allowing players to engage in philanthropy and wear cleats that bring attention to groups and causes important to them.

The wide receiver's Kaepernick footwear was designed by SoulsbySir, who also customized other cleats, including Pittsburgh Steelers' TJ Watt, Titans' Logan Ryan, and several members of the Baltimore Ravens.

Matthews, the brother of a Marine who died in Afghanistan, told ESPN he plans to kneel during the anthem until U.S. President Donald Trump apologized for comments he made about the players.

"To keep it honest, he was calling a lot of us, and I feel that he was calling myself, an S.O.B., and that's not OK and very disrespectful," he said. "So I plan to kneel until the president apologizes."

Kaepernick, who remains unemployed, was announced as the recipient of the 2017 Sports Illustrated (SI) Muhammad Ali Legacy Award for his "steadfastness in the fight for social justice, for his adherence to his beliefs no matter the cost."

Muhammad’s widow, Lonnie Ali, told SI that she was “proud to be able to present this to Colin for his passionate defense of social justice and civil rights for all people."

Last year Kaepernick started the “Take A Knee” movement, which is believed to have put him out of a job, that still remains active among the league's players.

"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 had said.

"To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street, and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."