Amid a national debate centered around racial equality following the death of George Floyd, Roger Goodell said Monday that he wants teams to sign Colin Kaepernick.
Goodell, speaking to host Mike Greenberg for ESPN’s “The Return of Sports” special, praised the former 49ers quarterback who in recent years has clashed publicly with the league and has not played for three seasons.
- “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.
- He added: “But I welcome that, support a club making that decision, and encourage them to do that.”
- The longtime NFL commissioner also suggested that if Kaepernick couldn’t find a spot with a team, the league would hire him to assist with its social justice initiatives.
- “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 said.
The league’s 180: Goodell’s remarks represent a sharp turn from the NFL’s previous dealings with Kaepernick, after he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality against minorities in 2016.
- Kaepernick sued the NFL in 2017, claiming owners had colluded to blackball him because of his political activism.
- In 2018, the NFL announced a policy banning kneeling during the national anthem.
- Last year, a failed attempt at a league-sponsored tryout for Kaepernick sparked more friction between the two parties and prompted the athlete to hold his own workout with media present.
While some have criticized Kaepernick’s activist stance as unpatriotic, his defenders have claimed he’s been vindicated by recent events.
Goodell himself said last Friday that the league had been wrong to dismiss players who protested against police brutality.
- Meanwhile, NFL.com reported on Thursday that the NFL has committed $250 million over 10 years to fight “systemic racism” and wants to recruit Kaepernick to assist with “social justice initiatives.”
- A new Harris Poll found that 61 percent of Americans believe Goodell owes Kaepernick an apology.
No kneeling: But the league’s about face on social justice isn’t universally popular.
Many conservatives, including President Donald Trump, still see the gesture of kneeling during the national anthem as disrespectful to the flag.
