We’re already a few weeks into training camp and Colin Kaepernick has still not been signed by a team. Many feel Kaepernick is being blackballed by NFL owners and one person felt so strongly about the QB’s exclusion from the league that he started a petition to boycott the NFL if Kaep isn’t signed to a roster.
Via Change.Org
“Never before, since the great Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in Vietnam in 1967, has an athlete taken such a direct stance highlighting the injustices of people of color — and just like Ali, the reaction to Kaepernick’s stance has been met with passionate responses, often times divided by the color line.
Since that statement, Kaepernick “upgraded” his protest to a knee, announced a plan to donate $1 million to the charities that focused on racial issues (which he followed through), had great support from some of his teammates, NFL colleagues, athletes from all sports levels (starting from junior high), and fans by taking a knee during anthems.
Best of all, Kaepernick’s protest made the conversation about “racial/police brutality” front-page for the large part of the NFL season, a feat never done before in its history.
Because he needed to start, Kaepernick also restructured his contract during the 2016 season, taking away the final 4 years and reworking it into a 2-year deal (with a 1-year player option) — allowing him to leave after the season if he chooses, which he did.
Since then, no one has offered Colin Kaepernick, a Super Bowl QB just a few years ago, an NFL job despite cries from both NFL Players and analysts, both black and white. He also has a better Total Quarterback Rating (QBR) than half the backup quarterbacks signed right now.
This shows that the NFL Owners are not willing to bring Kaepernick into their team because — according to many fans – he is a “distraction“. A who protested because of injustices towards people of color is pretty much blackballed in a league that is 70% Black.
If you are appalled by this, then show your power by boycotting the NFL until Kaepernick gets signed to a team. This means to not watch any games, no social media comments about your favorite team before/during/after the games, don’t attend the stadiums, and don’t buy any merchandise which represents the league or your favorite team.
We understand NFL is very important to you. We also understand the purpose of Colin Kaepernick’s protest is FAR more important than any games you will ever watch. Simply put, if things stay the same for the way America — where “all men are created equal” – treats people of color, then your loved ones, friends, and children will eventually be affected as well.
Finally, this shows how much the NFL really cares about its Black athletes. It’s pretty much: Play for us, entertain us, make us money, and shut up.”
As of right now the petition has been signed by over 27k people and is beginning to go viral. We’ll see if it gets bigger and has any significant impact on NFL owners in the coming weeks.