Last week, initial reports alleged that Colin Kaepernick would be invited to the next meeting to take place between players and owners of the National Football League after Kap was excluded from the first sit-down. Headed up by Malcom Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles, the meeting is set to open a dialogue on the issue of players’ kneeling during the playing or singing of the national anthem as a form of protest against racial inequalities in the United States.
While NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart did not confirm whether Kaepernick would indeed be coming, he noted that an invite was sent to the player. “We look forward to him joining the conversation,” said Lockhart at the time. Now, Kaepernick’s lawyer is calling out the Players Coalition, led by Jenkins, saying that Kaepernick’s legal team had no knowledge of any invitation until after reports were published.
“We specifically reached out to the [NFL Players Association] and to the Players Coalition [and we were verbatim told that Colin had no role,” Kaepernick’s attorney Mark Geragos told Slate when asked about the scheduled meeting. Jenkins also previously noted that Kaepernick was invited to the first meeting held on October 17th, in which, Houston Texans Bob McNair made his controversial comments in stating that “we can’t have the inmates running the prison.”
In a string of emails sent from Colin Kaepernick’s’ attorneys, it was made clear that as of Wednesday, October 25th the former 49er was never invited to any meeting. “As you are aware, this firm represents Mr. Kaepernick,” wrote Colin’s legal team in an email addressed to Jenkins and the NFL Players Coalition. “Mr. Geragos spoke with you last week and requested you correct false statements you made that Mr. Kaepernick was invited to the last players meeting when both the NFL and NFLPA admit he was not.”
The email went on to make several requests, asking Jenkins to make an actual confirmation of inviting Kaepernick, confirm who has the authority to invite individuals to the meetings, confirm the names of other attendees, and to confirm the agenda of the meeting.