Report: Kaepernick Settlement Amount Likely Far Less than Initially Thought

The details of Colin Kaepernick’s collusion settlement with the NFL will likely never be known. The actual facts and figures remain protected by a confidentiality agreement that prevents either side from talking about it.

However, according to Pro Football Talk, the actual amount Kaepernick received from the NFL is probably far smaller than initially thought.

On Friday, Bleacher Report’s Mike Freeman tweeted that the league’s settlement with its most famous anthem protester was somewhere in the range of $60 to $80 million dollars.

Number NFL team officials are speculating to me is the NFL paid Kaepernick in the $60 to $80 million range.

— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) February 15, 2019

However, PFT cites an unnamed source who says that this projection is “incorrect.”

Moreover, another source claims that the payout would have covered only the league’s legal expenses with “perhaps a bit more.” As PFT’s Mike Florio writes, “The anticipated legal expenses weren’t disclosed; chances are those amounts would have been in the seven figures, not in the eight figures.”

Another interesting tell, is the fact that Kaepernick is still allowed to seek employment in the NFL. Normally, in the case of large settlements, the former employee is essentially paid to go away and not allowed to pursue work with the company/league again. The fact that Kaepernick is still free to sign with another team would support the idea that his payout was not very significant.

If true, these reports will not help Kaepernick’s cause amongst fellow social justice activists. In the days following the announcement of his settlement with the league, the former 49er received severe backlash from many who thought he had surrendered his cause in favor of “hush money” from the NFL.

Now that it turns out that Kaepernick may have sacrificed his cause for far less than half of what was originally thought, Kaepernick fanbase might be feeling significantly alienated.

Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn