NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said during an interview on Tuesday that he wants a team to sign former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and that if Kaepernick does not make it back on the field then he is invited to the “table” to “help” and “guide” the NFL on social issues.
“Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it’s going to take a team to make that decision,” Goodell said during an interview with ESPN. “But I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that.
“If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities,” Goodell continued. “We have invited him in before, and we want to make sure that everybody’s welcome at that table and trying to help us deal with some very complex, difficult issues that have been around for a long time.”
Goodell added, “But I hope we’re at a point now where everybody’s committed to making long-term, sustainable change.”
Kaepernick has been widely criticized for some of his actions, including kneeling during the national anthem, donating money to a group honoring convicted cop killer and wanted terrorist Assata Shakur, wearing socks portraying police officers as pigs, and wearing shirts of brutal Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
Kaepernick has also claimed that the United States has conducted “American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism.” That remark was featured in a tweet from Kaepernick and came after U.S. forces killed Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, which is a designated terrorist organization.
In November, the NFL organized a private workout for Kaepernick in Atlanta in an apparent attempt to help him secure a spot in the league.
“The NFL arranged this workout opportunity for Colin Kaepernick, and teams will have the opportunity to evaluate his readiness and level of interest in resuming his NFL career,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted at the time. “His agents have said he wants to return to the NFL, and the league hopes this provides that chance.”
Kaepernick, who has been criticized for kneeling during the national anthem, abruptly cancelled the workout right before it was scheduled to take place because he said that he wanted to have his own camera crew there to film it and wanted to open the workout session to the media.
“The workout was originally set for 3 p.m. and was to be held at the Atlanta Falcons’ practice facility in Flowery Branch,” CBS News reported. “At 2:30, representatives for the free agent quarterback informed the league that Kaepernick would instead be conducting the workout at 4 p.m. at Drew High School in Riverdale, Georgia.”
The new location for the workout that Kaepernick gave was 60 miles away.
The Daily Wire reported:
After dissing the NFL, Kaepernick, a multimillionaire endorsed by Nike, attended his own workout in a “Kunta Kinte” t-shirt, comparing himself to a defiant slave from the movie “Roots.” The film showcases an iconic scene wherein Kunta Kinte is whipped by his master for refusing to acknowledge his slave name, Toby.
Kaepernick reportedly did not receive any offers or interest after his workout, but a wide receiver who participated in the workout was later signed to an NFL team’s practice squad.
The Daily Wire, headed by bestselling author and popular podcast host Ben Shapiro, is a leading provider of conservative news, cutting through the mainstream media’s rhetoric to provide readers the most important, relevant, and engaging stories of the day. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a member .