Kaepernick, 32, last played in the NFL for the 49ers during the '16 seasonGETTY IMAGES
Former NFL Exec VP/Communications Joe Lockhart, in a story for CNN.com, says that when he worked for the league they were "consumed by the case of Colin Kaepernick," and he thought execs had "done a righteous job" of trying to get teams to sign the former QB. Lockhart, a current CNN political analyst and former White House Press Secretary, wrote, "I was wrong. I think the teams were wrong for not signing him. Watching what's going on in Minnesota, I understand how badly wrong we were." Lockhart wrote many NFL owners thought signing Kaepernick "was bad for business." An exec from a team that considered signing Kaepernick said that the team "projected losing 20% of their season ticket holders if they did." Lockhart: "The situation in Minnesota right now offers a unique opportunity to deal with the symbols of racial injustice. As a small, but important step, the owners of the Minnesota Vikings, Zygi and Mark Wilf, can send a strong message by offering Colin Kaepernick a contract to play with the Vikings" (CNN.com, 5/29). NFL VP/Communications Brian McCarthy yesterday in response to Lockhart's column said, “Colin is a free agent. Clubs may sign him if they choose to do so" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/30).
WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW? YAHOO SPORTS' Charles Robinson wrote, "In some respects, it's not surprising that Lockhart is the one to finally tell the unspoken side of the Kaepernick story that so many assumed." During his roughly three-year tenure with the NFL, Lockhart "occasionally ran afoul of the party line, particularly when it came to the NFL's dicey standing with Trump." Lockhart's "seemingly open disdain for Trump was pronounced enough" that Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones, who has a "known friendship with the president, said in his deposition during the Kaepernick grievance that he was 'proud' to see Lockhart depart under pressure" in '18 (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/30).
DROPPED THE BALL: In Minneapolis, Jim Souhan writes it took NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "five days to toss a meaningless word salad," making him "among the last sports leaders to have failed to acknowledge" the killing of George Floyd. Souhan: "I could reprint Goodell's statement here, but it might be easier for you to just Google 'Generic press release template'" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 6/1).
