Jay-Z Pressed Roger Goodell For Kaepernick Workout Over "Reputational Bullet": Report

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20225.8K Views

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Jay Z at the Roc Nation and NFL Partnership Announcement at Roc Nation on August 14, 2019 in New York City.

Jay-Z applied pressure for Kaep, according to Dan Patrick.

Jay-Z's partnership with the NFL caused an uproar, especially after it was revealed that he didn't even confer with Colin Kaepernick over the move. People were quick to call Jay a sell-out while others believed that Jay might have something up his sleeve. Fast forward a few months and Kaepernick is set to appear at an NFL workout in Atlanta tomorrow where twenty-four team reps are set to attend including the Falcons, the Giants, and the Patriots.

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

There's been speculation since the announcement was made about who could be behind it and the possible motive. Kaep hasn't played since the 2016 season for reasons appearing to relate to his decision to take a knee during the National Anthem to protest police brutality. Rumors floated around saying that Jay had a role in it but now, sportscaster Dan Patrick revealed more details.

"According to my source, JAY-Z said that he took a reputational bullet for the commissioner when they had that press conference [with] his new role in the NFL," Patrick said on his show. "Social agenda. Social injustice. He was gonna help with the entertainment for halftime. All of this. My source said that JAY-Z was pressuring the commissioner to do the right thing and have this workout for Colin Kaepernick."

Patrick did say that other sources said this whole thing is a "distraction to take away from the opportunity facilitated by the NFL for Colin Kaepernick."

Peep the clip below.

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.

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