Commissioner Roger Goodell spoke about former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick during the annual Super Bowl news conference.

According to The Associated Press, Goodell told reporters that Kaepernick "deserves recognition and appreciation" for bringing up concerns about social justice and racism.

Last June, Goodell apologized to Kaepernick publically for the league not listening to him enough and taking his concerns more seriously.

Kaepernick has gone unsigned by teams since 2017, following him peacefully protesting by kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality during the 2016 season.

Earlier in the summer, NFL players began demanding the league "condemn racism and the systematic oppression of Black people," "admit wrong in silencing our players from peacefully protesting" and say that it believes that "Black Lives Matter," Bleacher Report reported.

Goodell responded, saying the league was wrong for not listening to players and encouraging them to speak out.

On Thursday, Goodell added that owners and the league have worked with players to identify issues, The AP reported.