More NFL Anthem Protests, Means Less Evidence League is Blackballing Kaepernick

Though we’re only one week into the 2017 preseason, several players have continued the anthem protests begun last year by former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Unlike Kaepernick, though, these new protesters have jobs, which casts serious doubt over the liberal sports media’s claim that the former 49er quarterback is being blackballed because of his anthem protest.

All off-season, members of the sports media insisted in column after column that Colin Kaepernick’s unemployed status, was the result of a league-wide blackballing effort, due of the immense unpopularity of Kaepernick’s politics. However, as the new season launches, two other players continued Kaepernick’s protest. Moreover, at least one reporter noted this week that up to three more might be joining the trend.

With so many players continuing the protest, while facing no backlash from the NFL, it should demolish the claim that the league which is nearly 70 percent African American, is “racist.”

The racist angle isn’t the only claim Kaepernick supporters are pushing. Some have also insisted in a corollary claim that Kaepernick is being blackballed despite that still being a good player. However, with the continuation of the protests from star players like Marshawn Lynch and Michael Bennett, it’s clear that the NFL is not rejecting players that are still playing good football, even though they’re protesting. Unlike Kaepernick ,whose stats had begun a slow downward trend since at least 2014, players who are continuing the protest are still essentially at the top of their game.

Yet, on Sunday, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk was still pushing the claim that Colin Kaepernick is being singled out because he “exercised his Constitutional rights” to speak out.

In Florio’s opinion, Kaepernick is being “blackballed” because he spoke out on politics and the league is punishing him for being a “distraction.” The latter term, Florio insisted, is code for “don’t step out of line.”

But with the growing list of other players continuing the protests this year, not to mention those who joined Kaepernick last year, it would seem that Florio’s point is on shaky grounds at best.

Clearly, the NFL isn’t telling players to end their anti-American protests because the league doesn’t want them to step out of line.

The truth seems to be a different thing. Kaepernick’s problem is not that he merely stood up for his right of free speech, or that he indulged a left-wing, anti-American agenda. Kaepernick’s problem is that his play on the field wasn’t good enough to offset all the public scorn and media attention that his politics attract.

That’s the difference between players like Lynch, Bennett, and Kaepernick.

Who would want to sign someone who caused you headaches without performing at a high level? If you are a coach or a team owner, why would you go out of your way to bring that sort of turmoil to your team?

Again, who would invite that into their locker room?

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.