The San Francisco 49ers have a chance to do what both Presidential hopefuls would love to do, get America behind them. Colin Kaepernick is THE most talked about sports figure in the world, and he’s a bench player. Americans love controversy, and Kaepernick is involved in two major ones.

Kaepernick and his sitting, then kneeling are causing so much debate on many levels that the country is split down the middle on what to believe. He took a stance and he has stuck to it despite the backlash that has come his way from players, fans, politicians and anyone else that has a microphone, YouTube channel or Facebook Live. But that’s not his only fight. He’s also fighting to get on the field to help his team.

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If you never followed football and this was your first encounter with Kaepernick, you would think he was some random player that has never done anything in the league. You would be wrong. Kaepernick still has some play left in his body. He’s still the same person that took the 49ers to two straight NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl. He’s still the player that was once talked about as a rival to Cam Newton and Russell Wilson.

But now, he has to watch from the bench as his beloved 49ers continue to struggle with an incompetent QB, Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert and the 49ers are currently 1-2 on the season but it seems far worse. They rank 30th in passing yards and 32nd in net yards per pass, yet Chip Kelly still has Gabbert as the starter. This is where Kelly must make his move, for wins/losses and for the exposure it could bring the team.

Despite what many say, Kaepernick is a hero to some. Imagine what he could be if he was actually playing winning football. Just last week he was on the cover of Time Magazine. This is exposure the 49ers could use. If this was Jerry Jones, Kaepernick would be playing QB, returning kicks and singing the National Anthem. I’m not being rude, but it’s the natures of this business, they are here to sell tickets and right now Kaepernick is the face of the NFL.

Kelly and the 49ers better take advantage.