ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith is defending his criticism of former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s workout stunt last weekend.

In a matter of a week, Kaepernick went from welcoming the NFL’s scheduled workout in Atlanta to a short notice, bailing out of the event and organizing his own workout at a local Atlanta high school.

On Saturday, Smith immediately took a swipe at Kaepernick for pulling out of the NFL’s workout, and insisted that he thinks the former 49er was never serious about re-igniting his NFL career.

“Twenty-five teams show up in Georgia at the Atlanta Falcons practice facility — state of the art facility, NFL personnel, equipment, video, everything, and what does Colin Kaepernick do,” Smith said last Saturday, “Colin Kaepernick wants to change the venue.

“He don’t want to play,” Smith added disgusted over the player’s actions. “He wants to be a martyr.

“You don’t want to work. You just want to make noise and you want to control the narrative,” Smith said addressing Kaepernick. “It’s over.”

The left-wing sports media, though, immediately began attacking the ESPN talker, and the heat has grown enough that Smith has jumped back to the topic to defend his analysis of Kaepernick’s workout stunt.

During his explanation on ESPN’s Tuesday broadcast of First Take, Smith noted that he “spoke about how [Kaepernick’s] points are eradicated” by the player’s behavior.

He went on to slam the “idiots” who have accused him of being a race traitor:

I’m not talking about the kneeling. I’m not talking about the protesting. I’m a black man, you idiots! You think I have a problem with a man that is kneeling and protesting racial oppression and police brutality? Do you know anything about my history in 25 years in this damn business? From the New York Daily News to the Philadelphia Inquirer to CNN to Fox to ESPN. Do you have any idea about my damn background and the fights that I have taken on the behalf of African Americans throughout this nation’s history? Do you have any idea who the hell you are talking about?

Smith went on to slam Kaepernick because his actions have gotten in the way of the likelihood that he will be able to continue his NFL career.

Here is a longer video clip of the segment from ESPN’s First Take:

Follow Warner Todd Huston on facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.