Critical Hearing To Decide Way Forward In Kaepernick Case

Lawyers representing the NFL and Colin Kaepernick today are meeting before arbitrator Stephen Burbank to determine if Kaepernick’s collusion complaint against the league "will go forward," marking the "most pivotal moment to date" in the case. The hearing is "taking place in response to the NFL’s request for summary judgement." If Burbank sides with the league, "ruling that Kaepernick hasn’t met the burden of proof set forth" by the CBA, it is "likely that his grievance will be dismissed." The NFL "wants to set the standard of proof it believes Kaepernick needs to meet to win his case; and second, the league’s lawyers want to make it clear they don’t believe Kaepernick is anywhere near meeting that standard" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/9).