McDonald: Hoping Kaepernick speaks out.
So Colin Kaepernick, what do you think?
Over the past three weeks after the videotaped death of George Floyd at the knee of Minneapolis police, a world-wide protest ensued over police brutality and social injustice, issues that Kaepernick espoused four years ago by sitting (later taking a knee) for the national anthem before an exhibition game.
It cost Kaepernick, 32, three prime years of his career. Kaepernick
and the 49ers parted ways when he elected to opt out of the deal as part of a contract restructure the previous year. The machinations of the contract don’t matter as much as both sides were done with each other and looking for a new start after a 2-14 season and Kyle Shanahan taking over as 49ers coach. Even with whatever flaws Kaepernick possessed in the passing game, the silence in the free agent market never made any sense. Here’s a guy who had playoff wins over three quarterbacks who have been named Most Valuable Player — Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton. And suddenly he can’t get a job?
You could make the argument that current NFL MVP Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens was modeled after Kaepernick by former
49ers offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
After a 2016 season in which Kaepernick patiently explained his peaceful protest during media sessions, he has preferred to take control of his own message rather than speak to reporters. His Instagram page has 3.8 million followers, and @Kaepernick7 on Twitter has 2.3 million.
There’s a national conversation about racial injustice. The NFL apologized and promised $250 million over the next 10 years to fight systemic racism, although Kaepernick was not mentioned by name. Included in the release by commissioner Roger Goodell was the sentence “We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter.”
Kaepernick’s last statement was on May 28 on Twitter:
“When civility leads to death, revolting is the only logical reaction.
“The cries for peace will rain down, and when they do, they will land on deaf ears because your violence has brought this resistance. We have the right to fight back!
“Rest in Power George Floyd.” Rather than talk into a microphone, Kaepernick has rolled up his sleeves, opened his checkbook and got involved. He founded the Colin Kaepernick Know Your Rights Camp, the first in Oakland in 2016 and the last one in Atlanta in 2019. The goals are as follows:
“Our mission is to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders.”
There are plenty of retweets that give an idea of Kaepernick’s thoughts, but as far as direct communication with the Fourth Estate, he is staying in the background, working at the grass roots level. He doesn’t owe a sixty-something white sports writer such as myself or anybody else in the media even a minute of his time.
Maybe he’s taking the stance of comic Dave Chappelle, who made a surprise appearance in Ohio last week and in reference to celebrity involvement in the protests said “This is the streets talking for themselves. They don’t need me right now.”
Yet in doing the show, Chappelle did put his voice to the cause, as have politicians, athletes, professional sports franchises and too many others to count.
The hope here is Kaepernick does the same when the time is right, addresses the fallout from his own stance four years ago and what has happened since. Whether it’s ESPN, the NFL Network or simply a journalist he trusts, there would be millions interested in Kaepernick’s thoughts about whether the last three weeks can help move the country toward the type of change he has been seeking.
The following topics would be fascinating and instructive, with football an interesting but secondary sidelight:
Does Kaepernick believe everyone now understands what his protest was about?
Kaepernick’s original message about police brutality and social injustice was immediately seen and continues to be seen by many as disrespect for the flag and his country. Even Drew Brees said as much until player reaction caused him to reverse field.
When Kaepernick altered his protest from sitting on the bench to the more respectful taking a knee at the behest of former Green Beret and Seattle Seahawk Nate Boyer, it got him nowhere in terms of public perception.
Neither did his statement in 2016 in which he said “I love America. I love people. That’s why I’m doing this. I want to make America better.”
Where was all the player support four years ago and will things be different in 2020?
Kaepernick had Eric Reid and a few others in his corner, but for the most part players did what the NFL wanted them to do. In 1960, wide receiver Art Powell was blackballed by the NFL when he refused to take the field for a segregated preseason game for the Philadelphia Eagles in Norfolk, Va. Eleven other players who had previously agreed to protest with Powell changed their minds and played in order to keep their jobs.
Powell, who became a star for the Raiders and passed away in 2015, never regretted it. As the saying goes, the first one through the wall always gets bloody.
Now there is talk of kneeling for the anthem despite the protestations of the president. Even Houston coach Bill O’Brien said he’d join in.
Has the NFL truly seen the light or is this all a function of revenue and economics?
Yes, Goodell apologized and the NFL has pledged $250 million over the next 10 years to fight systemic racism. But Dallas owner Jerry Jones, one of the league’s movers and shakers, has been uncharacteristically quiet. Whether the NFL will truly take on social injustice or is in reality walking a delicate tightrope of public relations remains to be seen.
Goodell is saying all the right things. In ESPN’s “Return to Sports” special, he said he welcomed and encouraged teams to sign Kaepernick and also said he’d be welcomed in an advisory role to “help, us, guide us, make better decisions.”
It will be up to players to make sure the NFL doesn’t throw money at the problem and return to the status quo.
What is the best way to fix policing?
Besides better training, the hot topic is “defunding” or diverting resources from police to social programs better equipped to handle problems law enforcement was never intended to deal with.
What to make of Pete Carroll’s ‘regret’ and the opportunity to play again?
The Seattle coach said he wished he had signed Kaepernick after an offseason meeting in 2017 but didn’t because he was a “starter” and the Seahawks already had Russell Wilson. Carroll has done good things in the community dating back to his days at USC and continues to do so in Seattle. But considering Carroll’s long-held stance that competition is at the core of his program, this assertion seems to ring hollow.
Teams understand that bringing in Kaepernick means a different level of attention. And there’s few things coaches hate worse than a dreaded “distraction.”
Has Kaepernick changed his stance on voting?
In 2016, Kaepernick told reporters “I think it would be hypocritical of me to vote because ... the oppressor isn’t going to let you vote your way out of your oppression.”
The Sacramento Bee reported in 2016 that Kaepernick had never been registered to vote in California or Nevada (where he went to college) at any point after turning 18.
Many social justice reformers believe in the ballot box as part of the longterm solution. In his work with youth groups in the “Know Your Rights” Camp what is the message regarding voting?
When it comes to an interview, Kaepernick can pretty much dictate whatever terms he believes are best for the cause.
It’s Kapernick’s call whether he chooses to put a voice to the movement he started. But if he’s ready to talk, the potential number of listeners has never been greater.