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The NFL Players Association said in a statement that it had been in contact with Kaepernick for the past year about his options, but only today learned he had decided to file the grievance, through media reports.

\"Our union has a duty to assist Mr. Kaepernick as we do all players and we will support him,\" the statement said, adding that the union is scheduling a call with his advisers for early this week.

\"PHOTO:
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
PHOTO: Activists rally in support of NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick outside the offices of the National Football League on Park Avenue, Aug. 23, 2017, in New York.
>

Kaepernick, who has not been with an NFL team since he severed his contract with the 49ers in March, began his silent protest of kneeling during the anthem in the 2016 preseason. He told the media he was protesting against the treatment of blacks in the United States.

Some other NFL players followed his lead during the 2016 season, drawing a mixed response from football fans and the general public, with some supporting the protest and others not.

\"PHOTO:
Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports, File
PHOTO: San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Eli Harold (58), quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and free safety Eric Reid (35) kneel in protest during the playing of the national anthem in Santa Clara, Calif., Oct 6, 2016.
>

But Kaepernick's most visible impact seemed to come at the start of this season, even though he himself had not been signed to a team, after President Trump at a campaign-style rally in Alabama slammed NFL players who participate in the protest.

The president told the crowd at the rally on Sept. 22 that teams should fire players who kneel during the anthem.

In response at NFL games over the next few days, many more players kneeled during the anthem or locked arms with teammates and in some cases also with their team's owners.

In his statement, Geragos did not name the president, but referred to Trump's call for protesting players to be fired, saying: \"Athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the executive branch of our government. Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation.\"

ABC News' Sunny Hostin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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