Richard Sherman is one of the most honest, outspoken players in the entire NFL; and although he & Colin Kaepernick have been division rivals, you knew he’d have something to say about Kaepernick’s apparent ‘blackballing’ at the hands of NFL owners after Donald Trump publicly bashed the former 49ers signal-caller for kneeling during the national anthem last season.
Sherman joined the cast of ESPN’s First Take this morning and offered his opinion on whether Kaepernick isn’t getting calls from teams because of his play, or because he stood up for minorities in such a visible way:
The claim that Kaepernick is unemployed because he can’t play is false…there’s no way around it.
A host of QBs with nowhere near the resume as Kaepernick have been signed, some in backup roles, some will be given the opportunity to start. There’s even been whispers of Johnny Manziel getting interest again.
Really?
I’ve heard a lot about the ‘negative’ blowback teams stand to face for signing Kaepernick, but the math isn’t adding up. The man has chosen to use the visibility the NFL gave him to try and help improve the lives of people he feels are being looked over. He’s REPEATEDLY announced his protest was in no way meant to disrespect the military, yet people continue to proclaim thats what he was doing without so much as mentioning the actual reasons he, himself stated…many, many times.
Last season, Kaepernick was asked DIRECTLY how he viewed the U.S. flag & what he had to say to military members whom might’ve been offended. Pay close attention to his answer:
“I have great respect for the men and women that have fought for this country. I have family, I have friends that have gone and fought for this country. And they fight for freedom, they fight for the people, they fight for liberty and justice, for everyone. That’s not happening. People are dying in vain because this country isn’t holding their end of the bargain up, as far as giving freedom and justice, liberty to everybody. That’s something that’s not happening. I’ve seen videos, I’ve seen circumstances where men and women that have been in the military have come back and been treated unjustly by the country they have fought for, and have been murdered by the country they fought for, on our land. That’s not right.”
There it is, clear as day. If you’re one of those people hating Kaepernick’s protest, yet not acknowledging how true his reasons for said protest were, consider yourself part of the problem.
Colin Kaepernick should be negotiating for an NFL job. If owners truly are colluding to keep him out of the league, this shouldn’t be looked at as some sort of honorable sacrifice; it should shine an even brighter light on the NFL, and why they’d want to keep voices like his silent.