Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid have settled their collusion case against the NFL it has been revealed this evening. The former 49ers duo have been in discussions with the NFL for the past number of months, with a resolution finally reached in the case.
The pair had alleged that they had received unfair treatment from owners in the league due to their involvement in the protests against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. Kaepernick started the movement by taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem before games, and he was soon joined by then teammate Reid.
Kaepernick was released by the 49ers in 2016, and has been unable to pick up another contract in the league since. Reid also struggled to find a new deal after leaving the team in 2017, although he did eventually sign with the Carolina Panthers during the 2018 season.
Both players took cases of collusion against the NFL, alleging that team owners refused to sign them due to their involvement in the protests. Those cases have now been settled, with the lawyer representing the pair releasing a brief statement:
— Mark Geragos (@markgeragos) February 15, 2019
Of course, a confidentiality agreement has been included in the settlement. That is a typical move from the NFL, who often insist on such measures in their lawsuit settlements.
Looking on from the outside, the exclusion of Colin Kaepernick from the NFL certainly did not seem to be related to football reasons. He led the 49ers to a Super Bowl, and threw for 16 touchdowns in his final season in the league.
Considering some of the disastrous quarterback signings we have seen in the league in the past few seasons, to deem Kaepernick not even worthy of a backup role seems ridiculous. While he is now 31-years, this may be the first move towards the player returning to the NFL.
