The BlackLivesMatter movement also brings momentum to the debate about Colin Kaepernick. NFL boss Roger Goodell is taking a clear stand on a possible comeback.
The disgraced quarterback Colin Kaepernick (32) would receive support from Commissioner Roger Goodell if he made a comeback in the NFL. “If he wants to resume his career in the NFL, of course he needs a team to do so,” Goodell said in an ESPN interview.
He calls for Kaepernick to be signed: “I welcome this and support a club that makes this decision and encourage them to do so.”
Kaepernick had set an example against police violence and racism with a kneeling down in September 2016. During the national anthem, which sounds before every game, he went down on his right knee. Since being released by the San Francisco 49ers in early 2017, Kaepernick has not been able to find a job in the league. He blames the NFL for this.
Brady and Rodgers are putting the pressure on Goodell
Under pressure from prominent black players, but also from white stars such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, Goodell apologised recently. The handling of the players’ protests had been wrong.
In the future, Goodell wants to involve Kaepernick in “difficult issues” off the field. He said the NFL is hoping that this will help and support them in “making better decisions about the things that need to be done in the communities,” Goodell said he hoped “that we have now reached a point where everyone is committed to making long-term, sustainable changes.