Will this be the most political NFL season ever?

This year's NFL season will be the first under President Trump and it looks like it will be the most political ever.

In recent months American footballers have not shied away from showing their views on issues "bigger than football".

It began with former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sitting during the US national anthem to protest over race equality.

That gesture led to a debate across the US.

The Kaepernick effect

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour," Kaepernick said.

Some fans took offence at Kaepernick's decision to kneel

He explained: "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."

He began kneeling and a number of players started showing their support.

"Colin Kaepernick is one of our own," Jason Bell who played for Dallas Cowboys tells Newsbeat.

"Ultimately you have to get behind a guy like that in a movement that was started by his actions, just because that's the nature of the sport, we stick together. We have that locker room mentality where it's all-for-one."

One of those players was Seattle Seahawks player Michael Bennett.

"A lot of these guys are seeing the guys in the past who did things, the Muhammed Ali's" says former player Osi Umenyiora, "and they're saying to themselves, if we don't speak up nothing's ever going to change."

Now Bennett has claimed after watching the Floyd Mayweather v Connor McGregor fight, he was forced to the ground at gunpoint by police after hearing "what sounded like gun shots."

He suggested he was targeted because he is black.

The Trump Effect

"It would be very interesting to be in the locker room right now as a player, these guys have so much going on, actually playing the game plus all these off the field issues," says Bell.

He believes having Donald Trump in charge of the country will have an effect: "It's going to take strong locker room leadership because yes it's going to be a factor this year."

Kaepernick left the 49ers in March.

He's not been signed by a team since, something that President Trump has taken credit for. "They (NFL teams) don't want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump. Do you believe that?"

In April, New England Patriots went on the traditional Superbowl champions visit to the White House.

A number of players boycotted it including Bennett's brother Martellus, LeGarrette Blount, Devin McCourty and Chris Long.

During the pre-season, more players joined in with protests. Seth DeValve became the first white player to take a knee in Cleveland Browns match against New York Giants.

The Cleveland Browns took part in the largest team protest since Kaepernick first took a knee

"I wanted to support my African American teammates," the tight-end said after the game. It came after the race riots in Charlottesville.

Michael Bennett has called on more white players to join in with the protests.

"This is something that has to continue because this is something that's an ongoing situation in America." former Superbowl champion Osi Umenyiora tells us.

"We're here in England and talking about racial profiling in America. It's become a global discussion.

"People are always saying they're not protesting the right way but as long as they're bringing about discussion which is what is going on right now, I think they're doing the right thing."

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