Former Clemson WR DeAndre Hopkins Responds To Coach Dabo Swinney’s Anthem Remarks

Former Clemson wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins stated Wednesday that while he respects current Tigers coach Dabo Swinney, he also believes Swinney’s recent remarks about 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest demonstrated a severe lack of understanding.

Former Clemson WR DeAndre Hopkins Responds To Coach Dabo Swinney’s Anthem Remarks

“You can’t speak on something unless you’ve been put in that situation,” Hopkins, a 24-year-old receiver for the Houston Texans, told reporters. “I wouldn’t speak on something about something else if I had no idea what was going on or how they felt because I couldn’t relate to it. So I don’t suggest anybody else do it.”

Swinney explained his viewpoint on Kaepernick’s protest at length Tuesday, and said he would never reprimand his players for protesting the national anthem because that falls within their rights. Nevertheless, that point is subject to debate at Clemson, since players remain in the locker room during the playing of the anthem.

The 46-year–old coach then added that he has a problem with Kaepernick’s protest because “it creates more divisiveness, more division.”

“I think there’s a better way,” Swinney said. “How about call a press conference? Express your feelings. Everybody will show up, talk about it. Go and be a part of things, and protest them. That’s great. I think everybody has that right. I certainly respect that. But I just think that this just creates more division. That’s what I hate to see.”

Hopkins grew up in Central, South Carolina, and played with the Tigers for Swinney from 2010-12. The Pro Bowler, who has played for the Texans since 2013, wanted to make clear that he is not completely against his former coach, rather simply that he believes it’s difficult for a white person like him to fully understand the hardships black people like him go through.

Hopkins faced several incidents of racism growing up in South Carolina. He shared a story of going to a new school that was predominantly white as a middle schooler.

“I was getting called (the N-word) a lot and I just knew it was offensive and me being me I went to the principal and I told him: ‘These guys are calling me this name, what should I do,’ ” Hopkins said. “And the principal was a white guy and he said: ‘Get used to it, you’re going to deal with it your whole life.’ ”

Those words remain with Hopkins after all these years and will likely remain with him forever. That’s why he thinks that those who don’t understand what it’s like to suffer those problems are not the right people to tell him or anyone else what the best way(s) to fight racism, injustice and oppression is/are.

“I think it’s hard to speak on something that you can’t relate to,” Hopkins said. “You can’t put yourself in other shoes because you’ve never been in poverty or in situations where you had people look at you and judge you because of your color.”

Kaepernick said he was protesting to express his anger with the pervasive, repeated oppression of black people and other minorities across America.

Hopkins wore a pair of Kanye West’s Yeezy cleats for the Texans’ 23-14 season-opening victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday, and was subsequently fined $6,000 for this.

The rapper recently entered the shoe game by selling an Adidas-brand pair of cleats of his own design.

HOUSTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 11: DeAndre Hopkins #10 of the Houston Texans warms up before playing against the Chicago Bears at NRG Stadium on September 11, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Thomas B. Shea/Getty Images)