Andrew Joseph

Hall of Fame coach Mike Ditka made one of his more ignorant statements on Monday when he claimed that there has been no oppression in America for the past 100 years. Fellow Hall of Famer Joe Namath had a strong rebuke to Ditka's remarks.

In an appearance on Fox & Friends on Tuesday, the former Jets quarterback defended the NFL players' protest of racial inequality and responded to Ditka.

Namath said when asked about Ditka's remarks at the end of the interview:

"Look up the meaning of oppression. Look up the definition of oppression, and you understand that it's obviously taken place."

Namath, who last year urged the Jets to consider Colin Kaepernick, defended the message that Kaepernick initially set out to bring attention to with his protests:

"Going back to what Colin Kaepernick initially did, it was to point out some injustice that's being done to the black race. Or to people that obviously when you look - and I say obviously, some of these dash cams and shootings that were done to unarmed people and all. He was reaching out to try to get it more investigated. So that's where this oppression thing comes in."

Namath believed that the message of NFL protests during the national anthem had turned into a national dialogue about patriotism and the flag rather than the intended message of standing up to racial inequality.

When asked if he would kneel for the anthem, Namath wasn't ready to go that far. But he did say:

"I'm not there, but I've never walked in a black man's shoes either."