Kiko Alonso turned in a dominant performance against the 49ers in the Dolphins' 31-24 win on Sunday, and afterward revealed an interesting source of motivation.
Alonso, whose father is a Cuban exile, did not appreciate Kaepernick's support -- real or perceived -- of Fidel Castro, who was pronounced dead on Friday, when the 49ers arrived in South Florida to face the Dolphins.
"I didn’t (see what happened in Cuba first-hand), but I do have feelings about it," Alonso told the Miami Herald. "So there was some bad blood there for me with Kaepernick."
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SIGN UP HERE The added motivation didn't result in an on-field chatter between the two, though it did impact how Alonso approached the game.
"No, I had nothing to say," Alonso said. "Usually, I just try to play my game. But I did try to hit him."
Alonso intercepted Kaepernick and was in on 12 tackles against the 49ers, none bigger than the one that stopped Kaepernick two yards shy of a potential game-tying score as time expired.
That tackle was memorialized in an Instagram photo that Alonso posted following the win, which included a derogatory comment in Spanish.
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Kaepernick was 29-for-46 for 296 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed 10 times for 113 yards.