http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/12/sports/football/colin-kaepernick-to-start-at-quarterback-for-49ers.html 2016-10-11 22:50:10 Colin Kaepernick to Start at Quarterback for 49ers Kaepernick, whose protests during the national anthem have focused attention on police brutality and racism in America, will start against the Bills on Sunday in Buffalo. === The The Niners are off to a 1-4 start this season, and Blaine Gabbert has struggled at quarterback. Kaepernick has been drawing substantially more attention than a typical backup quarterback over the last few weeks. He has been the face of a movement to kneel during the national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racism in America. The gesture has spread to several other players and to college and high school teams and some other sports. His stand has proved controversial, with some applauding him and others condemning him. Many commentators have said the protest could be a distraction to the team. Now, that potential distraction has moved from the sideline to the playing field. “It’s a football decision,” Coach Chip Kelly said. After replacing Alex Smith, Kaepernick led the 49ers to the But Gabbert has been abysmal this season. In the important statistic of Kaepernick’s athletic style attracted praise, especially after the Super Bowl year. There were some who saw his running talent and ability to throw the ball deep as potentially revolutionary. But his shortcomings as a passer turned off many traditionalists, and their opinion has been ascendant in recent years. “Physically, he’s not where he was pre-injury,” Kelly said Tuesday, But, Kelly said, “we need to improve on the offensive side of the ball, and this is the decision we’ve made.” Kaepernick’s current contract calls for a $11.9 million base salary this season and for a $14.5 million salary in 2017 that would be fully guaranteed if he got hurt and could not pass a physical next April 1. Some had speculated that that guarantee was keeping the 49ers from putting him on the field. But multiple news outlets have reported “I’ve never been told, implied — whatever word you want to use — on who to play and who not to play,”