SANTA CLARA – If there was any doubt about how Colin Kaepernick’s protest this season was received inside the 49ers’ locker room, that question was answered on Friday.

Kaepernick’s teammates voted him as the winner of the Len Eshmont Award as the 49ers player who best exemplifies the inspirational and courageous play of Len Eshmont. The award is considered the most prestigious team honor on which players vote.

Eshmont was an original member of the 49ers. The team was established in 1946 as part of the All-America Football Conference. Eshmont, who coached at Navy and Virginia following his career in San Francisco, died in 1957. The award was established that year in his honor.

Kaepernick gained national attention with his protest of racial inequality in America. His decision to kneel for the national anthem sparked a national debate. Kaepernick was featured on the cover of TIME magazine in September.

“I think what Kap did will be talked about for years to come – an NFL player using his platform for what he wanted to use it for,” 49ers veteran safety Antoine Bethea said Thursday on the CSN Bay Area's "49ers Insider Podcast."

Bethea added:

When it first came out, obviously, there were probably some guys straddling the fence or on opposite sides. But at the end of the day, I think we did a good job as a team nipping it in the bud at the beginning. We came together as a team. Kap spoke to the team. He explained why he was doing that. He also explained if anybody didn’t agree or agreed or wanted to come talk to him, feel free to do that. A couple of guys did that. . . As far as the outsiders, of course, they have a lot to say about it. But I think we handled it well as a team. A lot of times people don’t sit back and try to understand why he did it. Traveling and being on the team, you hear people when is taking a knee during the national anthem. You hear a lot of fans saying some different things. But if they really cared and really sat down and dove into the situation – I’m not going to say everybody would see it – but it’s a really a serious cause. He’s not saying he doesn’t love America. He’s not saying that he doesn’t support the troops. He’s saying, in that song, we’re saying one thing but the actions that are happening in this world are completely different.

Teammates Eric Reid and Eli Harold joined Kaepernick in the protest. Kaepernick said it was meaningful to have the support of his teammates.

“It’s very impactful and I think they are people who have very strong character,” Kaepernick said recently. “And to have the ability to really recognize what’s going on, how it not only affects them, but it affects their families and affects other people that look like them is something that’s very powerful and I’m very happy to have teammates like that, that have that type of character, that have those type of ethics and humanity.”

ESHMONT AWARD WINNERS

1957 QB Y.A. Tittle

1958 FB Joe Perry

1959 HB J.D. Smith

1960 S Dave Baker

1961 DT Leo Nomellini

1962 DE Dan Colchico

1963 T Bob St. Clair

1964 DT Charlie Krueger

1965 QB John Brodie

1966 HB John David Crow

1967 LB Dave Wilcox

1968 LB Matt Hazeltine

1969 CB Jimmy Johnson

1970 S Roosevelt Taylor

1971 LB Ed Beard

1972 DE Tommy Hart

1973 S Mel Phillips

1974 T Len Rohde

1975 CB Jimmy Johnson

1976 DE Tommy Hart

1977 S Mel Phillips

1978 RB Paul Hofer

1979 RB Paul Hofer

1980 DT Archie Reese

1981 TE Charle Young

1982 WR Dwight Clark

1983 RB/ST Bill Ring

1984 LB Keena Turner

1985 FB Roger Craig

1986 QB Joe Montana

1987 WR Jerry Rice

1988 NT Michael Carter, RB Roger Craig

1989 QB Joe Montana

1990 DE Kevin Fagan, LB Charles Haley

1991 WR John Taylor

1992 QB Steve Young

1993 WR Jerry Rice

1994 QB Steve Young

1995 FB William Floyd

1996 DT Bryant Young

1997 DT Dana Stubblefield

1998 DT Bryant Young

1999 DT Bryant Young

2000 DT Bryant Young

2001 RB Garrison Hearst

2002 S Tony Parrish

2003 LB Julian Peterson

2004 DT Bryant Young

2005 DT Bryant Young

2006 DT Bryant Young

2007 DT Bryant Young

2008 WR Isaac Bruce

2009 TE Vernon Davis

2010 LB Takeo Spikes

2011 DT Justin Smith

2012 DT Justin Smith

2013 LB NaVorro Bowman

2014 RB Frank Gore

2015 WR Anquan Boldin

2016 QB Colin Kaepernick