‘We have not heard that official apology to a man who basically sacrificed everything for the better of this world…’
(Claire Russel, Liberty Headlines) NBA star LeBron James argued that the NFL still owes failed quarterback Colin Kaepernick an “official apology” for how the league responded to his kneeling protests during the national anthem.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did, in fact, issue an apology—not just to Kaepernick, but to all NFL players for “not listening to [the players] earlier and encouraging all to speak out and peacefully protest.”
Moreover, Goodell has actively encouraged NFL teams to sign Kaepernick once again. But this isn’t enough, according to James.
Kaepernick “basically sacrificed everything for the better of this world,” James claimed, according to Bloomberg Businessweek, including his professional football career.
Kaepernick’s career was in decline when he began his activism during the 2016 season.
Prior to getting benched by the San Francisco 49ers in favor of backup Blaine Gabbert, he made NFL history by becoming the first quarterback to be sacked five times and throw for fewer than 5 yards in a game, according to ESPN.
After deciding not to renew his contract the following year, he blamed the controversy over his kneeling rather than the performance issues for the lack of free-agent interest. He and other anthem-kneelers sued the NFL, which settled out of court for a significant undisclosed amount.
Meanwhile, Kaepernick cashed in on his activism by inking a lucrative marketing deal to become a top pitchman for Nike, while collecting a litany of awards from virtue-signaling outlets for his “courage.”
The 49ers, meanwhile, have flourished, making it all the way to the Super Bowl in 2020, with Trump-supporting rookie Nick Bosa dominating their defense.
Prior to getting drafted, the former Ohio State standout was pressured into deleting tweets that had been critical of Kaepernick and supportive of the president.
Regardless of the league’s prior efforts to accommodate, placate and compensate the washed-up, riot-supporting activist, the outspoken basketball great James—who previously accused NFL owners of fostering a “slave mentality“—said it wasn’t enough.
“As far as the NFL, I’m not in those locker rooms, I’m not with those guys, but I do understand that an apology—I have not heard a true, official apology to Colin Kaepernick on what he was going through and what he was trying to tell the NFL and tell the world about why he was kneeling when he was doing that as a San Francisco 49er,” James said.
James admitted that the NFL is “listening some,” but added that without an “official apology,” it doesn’t matter.
“I just see that to still be wrong,” he said.
Goodell has spent the past few weeks trying to appease Kaepernick, even though Kaepernick turned down an earlier opportunity to rejoin the NFL by abandoning a pre-planned workout and opting for a media tour instead.
Despite this, multiple leftist figures, including Rev. Al Sharpton and U.S. Women’s Soccer star Megan Rapinoe, have demanded that Kaepernick be given his old job.
Doing so would be akin to “affirmative action,” according to former NFL star Burgess Owens, who slammed Kaepernick as a disrespectful Marxist.
“We’re willing to have the distraction of a Marxist—a Castro-brother-loving Marxist—to come back and play [despite the fact] that many Americans don’t want to see him play,” Owens said.
Liberty Headlines’ Ben Sellers contributed to this report.