Colin Kaepernick changed the face of sports by kneeling during the national anthem. Three years after his initial protest, Kaepernick settled with the NFL after suing the league for colluding to deprive him of his right to be employed.
Kaepernick, a quarterback who once led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl, was not signed by any NFL team after his kneeling protest made national headlines. He decided to take a knee to protest police brutality and other forms of injustice in America.
Kaepernick and fellow football player Eric Reid reached an agreement with the league for an unconfirmed amount.
The NFL and Kaepernick’s attorney, Mark Geragos, released a joint statement that said, “As a result of those discussions, the parties have decided to resolve the pending grievances. The resolution of this matter is subject to a confidentiality agreement so there will be no further comment by any party.”
In October 2016, rolling out was present when Kaepernick spoke about kneeling during the national anthem after the 49ers were defeated by the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, New York.
“I think people are beginning to realize what’s going on,” Kaepernick said during his press conference. “I knew the consequences for what could come with this, and I was prepared for that … I don’t understand what’s un-American about fighting for liberty and justice for everybody. This country says it stands for equality. I see it as very patriotic and American to [hold] the United States to a standard that it says it lives by.”
Kaepernick has yet to reveal if he will attempt to try out for NFL teams in 2019. He reportedly turned down a chance to play in the newly formed Alliance of American Football league, but he wanted $20 million to play.
