Former Cowboys star Dez Bryant calls out Colin Kaepernick for raising awareness without action: 'Where are you at?'

Former Dallas Cowboys football star Dez Bryant called out Colin Kaepernick for raising awareness without a clear call to action to help the black community.

Bryant made the comments on the "I am Athlete" podcast in a conversation with Brandon Marshall, Chad Ochocinco, and others.

"I respect Colin Kaepernick. But there is one thing that I don't respect and I said when I get the opportunity and to get on the stage and say it, I would say it. And I love him to death. So there ain't no hate or nothing like that," Bryant said.

"But brotha, you had the biggest opportunity in the world to create jobs, to build jobs, to give jobs to people. The people that you was talking about. The people that you were so-called 'standing up for,'" he continued.

"People who stood beside you, people who lost their jobs because of you," Bryant added. "Where you at? I ain't heard from you. He brought the awareness and that's why I respect him."

Many on social media immediately attacked Bryant for criticizing Kaepernick, including Jemele Hill who called him "uninformed" about projects that Kaepernick had backed for social justice, including the "Know Your Rights Camp" for children.

Bryant responded to his critics in a tweet on Monday.

"Y'all missed the message and I'm fine with that," tweeted Bryant, "me speaking on Kap was about unity.. kap leading the charge.... a ton of us athletes have donated a lot of money and yet to own anything (ownership)."

Bryant also antagonized some when he wrote in 2017 that many in the black community were held back not by historic racism but by a lack of personal accountability.

The star wide receiver played for eight years with the Dallas Cowboys before playing in six games for the Baltimore Ravens in 2020. He is currently a free agent.

Here's the video of Bryant's comments on Kaepernick: