Donald Trump has said former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick should be given another chance to play in the NFL ‘if he has the playing ability’.

Kaepernick, 32, has not played in the league for more than three years since taking a knee in 2016 during the national anthem to protest against police brutality and racism in the US.

A year later Trump referred to professional athletes taking a knee as ‘sons of b*****s’ and urged team owners to fire them.

Only on Sunday, the President said he would not watch any NFL games if players did not stand during the national anthem. 

But he has now taken a U-turn when, asked if Kaepernick should be given another chance to play in the NFL, he said he should ‘absolutely’ be given a second shot. 

During an interview with WJLA-TV on Wednesday he said: "If he deserves it, he should. If he has the playing ability. His playing wasn't up to snuff.

"The answer is absolutely I would, as far as kneeling, I would love to see him get another shot but obviously he has to be able to play well.

“If he can't play well, I think that would be very unfair.”

Kaepernick’s kneeling protest has come back into focus following the Black Lives Matter movement protests that have taken place across the globe. 

On Monday NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he would ‘encourage and support’ teams interested in signing the quarterback.