Patriots' Long issues support for Kaepernick's protest

New England Patriots defensive end Chris Long issued his support for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's protest against police brutality and racial inequality Tuesday.

Long spoke at length during an appearance on ESPN Radio's "Russillo & Kanell," issuing his thoughts on the ongoing campaign.

"But I'll make it pretty clear: I support my peers in exercising their right to protest. This is a wonderful country, and I think everyone agrees on that, but there are things in our country that can improve. I don't think that by acknowledging as a white male that America isn't the same for me, maybe, as it is for everybody, the same great place, that we're complicit in the problem or that we're saying America isn't a great place."

Long also said he plays in a league where African-Americans are the majority and that he will listen to and respect a different vantage point.

"I play in a league that's 70 percent black and my peers, guys I come to work with, guys I respect who are very socially aware and are intellectual guys, if they identify something that they think is worth putting their reputations on the line, creating controversy, I'm going to listen to those guys," Long said.