According to an NFL spokesman, the league's brass will again meet with player reps early next week to discuss social issues. And, this time, Colin Kaepernick will reportedly be invited by the players. While an invite alone means nothing, and there was a lingering question over whether or not the 29-year-old ex-Niner would actually be present, Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson stated via a tweet that Kaepernick will attend:
According to The Washington Post:
"The meeting will be part of the ongoing dialogue between the league, owners of teams, players and the NFL Players Association about support by the league and owners for players’ community activism endeavors."
During a similar meeting that took place last Tuesday in the NFL's New York offices, owners and NFL officials discussed cooperating with players to give them a platform for their social activism. It's not quite clear what that means. After that meeting took place, Eagles defensive back Malcolm Jenkins said that Kaepernick (who started this whole movement by kneeling to bring attention to racial inequality last preseason) was invited, though he couldn't answer the question of why the free agent QB did not show.
Kaepernick's legal reps later delivered a written statement confirming that he'd been asked to come to the meeting by players, but that he did not get a formal invite from the league.
On that note, following the Seahawks' win over the Giants this past Sunday, Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett said that Kaepernick's current unemployment status should be a topic covered at the next meetings. "I think we should go meet and talk about that issue and talk about the other issues and bring it up," Bennett stated on Sunday. "I don’t really care for the word owner. But I like the word employer. So when you get a chance to talk to your employer and get the opportunity to bring up what you want to make a change in, I think one of the changes should be bringing Kaepernick in."
Just a little over a week ago Kaepernick officially filed a grievance accusing NFL owners of colluding him out of the league. So, needless to say, this next meeting could end up being a bit of an awkward confrontation.
