Kaepernick claims owners colluding

NEW YORK — Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, an NFL free agent who last year began a kneeling protest during the national anthem that has spiralled into a major controversy, has filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, according to multiple reports.

CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and ESPN-ABC reported on the weekend that the 29-year-old, who spent six seasons with the 49ers, has gone to court rather than go through the NFL Players Association with his grievance claim.

Kaepernick claims owners have colluded to keep him out of the league because of his protests during the playing of The Star-Spangled Banner last season.

Kaepernick opted out of his $10 million contract with the 49ers in March but found no team willing to sign him despite success that included leading the 49ers to the 2013 Super Bowl, where they lost to Baltimore 34-31.

An ABC report said the grievance claims owners “colluded to deprive Mr Kaepernick of employment rights in retaliation for Mr Kaepernick’s leadership and advocacy for equality and social justice.”

Tensions were raised about the kneeling when President Donald Trump last month called any NFL player kneeling during the anthem a “son of a bitch” and said they should be fired.

That has prompted a rise in the number of players who kneel or link arms in a sign of unity over the past four weeks and set the stage for the players’ union and league executives and owners to talk about the matter in depth next week at regularly scheduled clubowner meetings.

CBS reported earlier this month that Kaepernick has been ready to work out in private for NFL teams and sought to be judged only as a player while remaining silent on the anthem controversy.