The NFL has reportedly invited national anthem protester Colin Kaepernick to a private, one-on-one meeting with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
The NFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Troy Vincent, reportedly contacted the former San Francisco 49er player via text on October 31 to update him on the progress of meetings the league was having to discuss a new social activism policy, ESPN reported.
As a part of the text, Vincent invited Kaepernick to visit the commissioner at the league’s New York offices. But, according to the ESPN report, the league has still not heard back from the player on whether or not he will accept the invitation.
League spokesman Joe Lockhart recently added that the NFL would welcome Kaepernick’s input on the social activism discussions that are ongoing in the league.
It is unclear how the grievance Kaepernick filed against the league for his continued unemployment might affect any participation he might have — or even be willing to lend — to the discussions.
In mid-October, the former second-string quarterback filed a grievance alleging that the owners of the league had “colluded” to make sure no one hired him when he became a free agent after he spent a year protesting against the country during the playing of the national anthem.
Kaepernick’s protest was eventually joined by hundreds of players who began standing against the country, the flag, and our first responders during the anthem. Many have emulated Kaepernick by taking a knee during the song, while others have raised a black power fist or stayed seated and refused to stand in honor of the country.
Meanwhile, as the league discusses allowing players to increase their social activism, ratings for the NFL are crashing across every broadcast network showing the games. Indeed, for Week 9 Sunday Night Football is down 18 percent over ratings for 2015.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.