Colin Kaepernick's team wants to clear some things up.
On Thursday afternoon, the athlete's representatives, Jeff Nalley and Jasmine Windham, released a statement titled "Facts to Address the False Narratives Regarding Colin Kaepernick." The two-page document tackles a number of common narratives surrounding Kaepernick's defunct professional football career and what has occurred since he departed from the 49ers.
"There have been so many false narratives in the media regarding Colin, we believe it is important to set the record straight again," the statement reads. "Nothing below is up for interpretation or debate, it's the truth and nothing else."
According to Kaepernick's camp, he's still eligible to play in the NFL despite having filed a since-settled grievance for the league's alleged blackballing efforts. His representatives also claim their client has not interviewed or worked out with any NFL team, despite reports to the contrary. He did however, visit with the Seahawks, though the team never actually worked him out.
"I have reached out to all 32 teams about Colin's employment, with little to no response from teams about an opportunity for Colin," Nalley wrote. "In 25 years, I have never seen anything like it."
The reps also say Kaepernick has not demanded a specific salary, and has spent the last three years preparing for a possible return to the field. These details further underscore Kaepernick's desire to get back into the league—a desire that has been widely questioned because of his decision to opt out of his contract with the 49ers.
"Colin opted out after his conversation with the 49ers GM, John Lunch, who told Colin they were going to cut him and publicly state, 'I don't want to characterize it as he made a decision to leave here ... You can opt out, we can release you,'" Nalley wrote. "Colin opted out prior to free agency to maximize potential employment opportunities and because the 49ers would have cut him prior to the start of the 2017 season."
You can read the full statement below.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, during which he began conducting on-field protests against police brutality and racial injustice in America. His decision to kneel during the pre-game national anthem drew polarizing reactions among NFL figures and fans.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL.com in 2016. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
