NFL: Goodell about Kaepernick: Teams decide for themselves

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also spoke to Colin Kaepernick a few days before Super Bowl LII in a speech on the situation of the league. The individual franchises would have to decide for themselves if they wanted to commit. Goodell also announced a change in the catch rule.

“I have always made it clear that all clubs have to make individual decisions about their squad,”Goodell emphasised on Wednesday in his speech on the situation of the NFL. Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel in the national anthem before the games to point out police brutality against minorities had caused split reactions. In the 2017 season, no team had contracted him – which is why he finally complained.

“Colin has complained, as you know, so I can’t talk specifically about this case,”says Goodell. But in my view, the clubs have to make that decision. We as a league are not interfering in these issues.”

Goodell also spoke about the controversial catch rules, which caused a lot of misunderstandings this season in particular, saying:”I don’t think I’d like to extend the rule, but rather reduce it,” said the Commissioner,”we should start from the beginning and look at the basic rule, which is very complex, so the Competition Committee responsible must avoid unintended consequences.

There has been much debate and disagreement over the rule, Goodell admitted,”I think we can better define the rule, but there will always be controversy.