Colin Kaepernick Blasts NFL ‘Propaganda’ During Opening Weekend

Colin Kaepernick spoke out against the NFL’s social justice initiatives on Sunday during the league’s first weekend back this season, accusing the NFL of engaging in “propaganda.”

The former star quarterback turned activist took to Twitter to quote a Deadspin article that pointed out what appears to be the blackballing of another player by the NFL, Kaepernick’s former teammate Eric Reid.

“While the NFL runs propaganda about how they care about Black Life, they are still actively blackballing Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) for fighting for the Black community,” he captioned the tweet. “Eric set 2 franchise records last year, and is one of the best defensive players in the league.”

Reid finished last season with 130 tackles and four sacks for the Carolina Panthers, both franchise records, but was let go by the team earlier this year, according to CBS News.

Reid played with Kaepernick as a member of the San Francisco 49ers and was the first player to kneel alongside the QB in protest. Both players filed grievances against the league in 2017, accusing the league of colluding to keep them out of the league over protesting. The grievances were settled privately in 2019.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted in June the league was “wrong” for taking so long to acknowledge the protests but has never officially apologized to Kaepernick.

The NFL has participated in mostly performative support of the Black community this season by allowing racial justice messages in the end zone, on helmets, and on T-shirts.

Kaepernick remains without a job in the NFL for the 2020-21 football season.