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Kaepernick Shuns NFL Over 'Blackballing' Allegations
Developing
In Short: Kaepernick has publicly accused the NFL of blackballing him due to his protest, a claim the league denies, and says he will no longer support the organization.
Kaepernick has publicly accused the NFL of blackballing him due to his kneeling protest, a claim the league has consistently denied. He stated, 'I’m not gonna support an organization that one, is actively blackballing me, but two, has targeted my brothers who have been protesting as part of this as well.
In 2016, a player within the league reportedly said, 'Everybody believes that he was blackballed' in reference to Kaepernick. The NFL attempted to set up a workout for him in November 2019 following a lawsuit settlement, which he called off due to concerns about waiving his employment rights and future claims against the league.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the issue in 2020, saying, 'Those are decisions that each individual owner has to make and their clubs, coaches, GMs.
Seven teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, 49ers, then-Washington Redskins, and Detroit Lions, showed up to watch Kaepernick at Charles Drew High School in Riverdale, Georgia, in November 2019.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Kaepernick has said on many occasions he believes the NFL blackballed him because of his kneeling protest, though the league has denied that each time.
- "I’m not gonna support an organization that one, is actively blackballing me, but two, has targeted my brothers who have been protesting as part of this as well," Kaepernick told the outlet.
- NBC News reports a player within the league in 2016 said, "Everybody believes that he was blackballed" in reference to Kaepernick.
- "Those are decisions that each individual owner has to make and their clubs, coaches, GMs," Goodell said to NBC in 2020 when asked about Kaepernick not being in the league.
- The NFL tried to set up a workout for Kaepernick in November 2019 following the lawsuit settlement, which he called off because of a waiver he believed would sign away his employment rights and potential future…
- There were seven teams that showed up to Charles Drew High School in Riverdale, Georgia to watch Kaepernick: the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans, 49ers, then-Washington…
Sources
- Fox Newslink