Follow The Fan: Facebook | Twitter

DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) – With embattled San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick appearing on the cover of Time magazine for his recent sting of protests during the playing of the National Anthem at NFL games, The Fan asked Hall of Fame coach Mike Ditka his opinion on the matter.

The Fan’s Shan & RJ show posed the question to the former Chicago Bears coach of what he thought about Kaepernick and his choice to kneel during the playing of the National Anthem.

“I think it’s a problem…anybody who disrespects this country and the flag” said Ditka. “If they don’t like the country they don’t like our flag…get the hell out.”

“I have no respect for Colin Kaepernick – he probably has no respect for me, that’s his choice” said Ditka. “My choice is, I like this country, I respect our flag, and I don’t see all the atrocities going on in this country that people say are going on.”

Ditka added, “I see opportunities if people want to look for opportunity – now if they don’t want to look for them – then you can find problems with anything, but this is the land of opportunity because you can be anything you want to be if you work. If you don’t work…that’s a different problem. ”

(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)