Colin Kaepernick Thanked Jeremy Lane for Sitting During National Anthem

Colin Kaepernick has become a controversial figure in recent weeks, but support for his cause has grown.

After the San Francisco 49ers quarterback sat down during the national anthem in Week 3 of the preseason, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane joined him in Week 4.

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com provided a look at the fifth-year player on the bench:

Since then, Kaepernick has contacted his rival on the field to thank him for the support.

"He reached out to me and just told me thank you, standing behind me," Lane said, per Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com.

"I don't know," Lane said when asked whether more Seahawks will join him in protest. "I don't want to put any pressure on anyone. I'm doing it for me."

The support for Kaepernick has grown beyond the NFL. United States women's national soccer team star Megan Rapinoe took a knee during the national anthem of her National Women's Soccer League game Sunday, specifically mentioning the quarterback as a reason, per SportsCenter:

President Barack Obama also provided his thoughts on the matter Monday, noting Kaepernick was "exercising his constitutional right to make a statement," per Christi Parsons of the Los Angeles Times.

Although plenty of Americans have questioned the quarterback's decision, many others are supporting him, making him the most popular player in terms of jersey sales on NFL.com, according to Dan Hanzus of End Around.