NFL Settles with QB Kaepernick

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid reached a settlement with the NFL regarding their collusion grievance against the NFL. Both players were alleging league owners colluded to keep them out of the NFL. The decision to kneel during the national anthem made Kaepernick a divisive sports figure. Kaepernick either sat on the bench or kneeled during “The Star-Spangled Banner” before each game in protest for oppression of people of color and ongoing issues with police brutality. The last time Kaepernick played was in 2016 when he went 1-10 with the San Francisco 49ers. However, that litigation appears to be over and Kaepernick’s attorney said he still wants to play in the NFL. In a joint statement last week, the parties explained only that they had engaged in an ongoing dialogue with representatives and as a a result of those discussions, decided to resolve the pending grievances. Of course, the resolution of the matter is subject to a confidentiality agreement and so they state there will be no further comment by any party. Despite this, the media has continued to speculate on the settlement and in one report, Mike Freeman said his sources were speculating that the payout was in the $60-80 million range. Others, like Dan Patrick revealed that a source told him that the settlement could be as low as the $5 million range. Still others like Mike Florio, despite stating most settlements require the parties to keep the details of the deal quiet and confidential, wonders when the details will leak. He goes on to say the NFL’s 32 teams will know the amount, because they’ll each be paying a share and that it takes only one owner to get the number out, making it impossible for the league office to track down the leak. Only time will tell. See news coverage here-- https://bit.ly/2NerBvB and https://bit.ly/2IlOvT8 and https://bit.ly/2TVX2gO and NFL statement-- https://bit.ly/2SbbLmu