On Tuesday, ESPN “First Take” host Stephen A. Smith tore into former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick over his latest remarks about coming back to the league in a backup role.
Kaepernick, who has not taken an NFL snap since 2016, said in a podcast, “I know I have to find my way back in. So, if I have to come in as a backup, that’s fine.”
He added, “But that’s not where I’m staying. And when I prove that I’m a starter, I want to be able to step on the field as such. I just need that opportunity to walk through the door.”
Smith, who has long supported Kaepernick in his activism, acknowledged that Kaepernick should still be in the NFL but called his comments “utter nonsense.” The host added he was “sick” of the comeback talk after how he handled the multiple opportunities he was given.
“I want to make sure I’m very, very clear about this because this has gotten on my last nerve, and I’m going to put this to bed once and for all. Colin Kaepernick was black-balled. Colin Kaepernick was mistreated. Colin Kaepernick should be in the NFL. Colin Kaepernick should have never been out of the NFL. He violated no laws. He violated no NFL bylaws. He got screwed over. Period,” Smith emphasized.
“How many times do we need to say that before Colin Kaepernick is willing to accept the fact you’ve got to handle things differently, and what do I mean by that?” he continued. “I’m not talking about the kneeling. I’m not talking about the protesting because that’s on behalf of us. And there’s a level of graciousness and gratitude we all owe him. Black people, as far as I’m concerned, America, owes this to Colin Kaepernick. But that was from 2016 to 2019.”
Smith pointed to Kaepernick’s refusal to work out for NFL teams and said he failed to take advantage of the help offered to him.
“In 2019, after you filed a lawsuit against the National Football League, after you reached a multimillion-dollar settlement, after you made it clear you don’t have any trust for them, and they made it clear they have no trust for you, because of pressure from Jay-Z, who is obviously advising the NFL on social justice issues and things of that nature, along with a multitude of people inside and outside of the media and you’re listening to one of them because I spoke to many people on behalf of Colin Kaepernick, the NFL said we’re going to conduct a workout,” he explained. “And Colin Kaepernick refused to work out because of some waiver issue, some liability issue.”
Smith continued, “At the end of the day, what are you saying, Colin Kaepernick? You didn’t trust them? Well, duh. We know you didn’t trust them. They didn’t trust you because they felt like if an individual team, none of whom called you, by the way, if an individual team gave you a workout that you would sit up there if you don’t make the team, they were saying you might sit up there and accuse us of being racist because they didn’t pick you on the team, so as a result, we can’t trust you either. Both sides don’t trust one another. Who the hell [doesn’t] know that?”
The ESPN star concluded, “But you didn’t want to play. You didn’t want to talk, and that’s why you’re still doing interviews instead of throwing touchdowns. I’m done.”
Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent