Seattle Seahawks Hall of Famer Steve Largent is speaking out about San Francisco 49ers’ Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest and the “white privilege” theory that’s taking root in schools and public institutions.

In a recent episode of KIRO Radio’s Ron and Don Show, the former wide receiver turned Oklahoma lawmaker made it clear he doesn’t think very highly of Kaepernick’s pre-game protests, and he doesn’t believe his perspective is distorted by “white privilege.”

Since the 49ers’ preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 26, Kaepernick has refused to stand for the national anthem to protest police brutality and show support for the Black Lives Matter movement. Since that time, other players have joined his cause, including 49ers safety Eric Reid and Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane, among others.

The fallout resulted in some fans burning Kaepernick jerseys, while others, like rappers J Cole and Trey Songz, have taken to sporting his jersey at concerts.

Largent, a record-breaking wide receiver for the Seahawks between 1976 and 1989, told Ron and Don he understands why the players are protesting, but believes they could find a much better way to get their message across than disrespecting the country that made their successes possible.

The national anthem, he said, is “a moment as a player to stop, reflect and acknowledge that there’s been a lot of sacrifices made to get us to a point in this country, even to have the opportunity we have as players to play this game, be paid as much as we do, and everything else.

“Taking a pot shot at some cause, whatever it is, during the national anthem is inappropriate,” Largent said, according to MyNorthwest.com.

“Maybe I’m just from another era,” he continued. “I think there’s a lot of opportunities that players have to make their point. I think doing it during the national anthem is not the right time for any kind of statement to be made. You have a microphone in your face, or pen on a paper at the drop of a hat. So there’s a lot of times to make political statements or make statements of disappointment — whatever you want to make. But don’t make it during the national anthem. There’ve been too many people in our country that have fought hard for that flag.”

Largent, who went on after retirement to serve as a U.S. representative from his home state of Oklahoma between 1994 and 2002, disputed the often repeated notion that Kaepernick’s protest is not intended to insult those who fought for freedom, but rather to raise awareness about police brutality.

“I know they’ll say that this is not about (people who fought hard),” he said. “Well ya know, in fact, it really is. When you are making a point, whatever it is, and you’re doing it during the national anthem – that anthem means something to me, and it should mean something to everyone.”

Largent also weighed in on white privilege theory, which argues that America is hopelessly stacked against minorities and designed to give whites a built-in advantage to achieve success.

“I don’t understand where they are coming from because I didn’t grow up that way,” he said, according to the news site. “My parents didn’t have two cents to rub between them. And I definitely grew up in a poor part of Oklahoma City … my step-father made $22,000 while I was being raised.

“It wasn’t like I was coming from a rich family. But I never felt like I was being oppressed, or anyone was holding me down,” Largent said. “But there are black families in this country that feel that way. I understand that – I get that.”

White privilege, however, didn’t factor into Largent’s life, he said.

“I felt like everything I got I earned. I had to earn it,” he said. “Nobody was giving me anything. There were a lot of kids like me in Oklahoma City where I was raised that didn’t have two nickels to rub between them. I would be offended if somebody said that to me. Because it’s not true. I understand that there were others, white kids who had big advantages over me. But I wasn’t one of those guys.”

The bottom line: America, with all of its flaws, is a land of opportunity that deserves respect, regardless of race or political persuasions.

“The thing I draw a line on is when you are trying to honor the country that has given all of us so many opportunities,” Largent said. “What I am saying has nothing to do with whether or not I think black families have been disadvantaged in this country. I think those cases are true and real — I’m not discounting that at all. But I think there is a better and more appropriate time to make a statement.”