Many wondered if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would ever offer up an apology to Colin Kaepernick for the league's mishandling of the quarterback's peaceful protests in an attempt to spread awareness of social injustice. Goodell did so while speaking with former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho on his YouTube show, "Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man."
The man in charge of the NFL wishes he had handled the situation differently back in 2016 when the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback started kneeling during the national anthem, an action that entangled the league in controversy.
"I wish we had listened earlier, Kap, to what you were kneeling about and what you were trying to bring attention to," Goodell said via Sports Illustrated's Nick Selbe. "We had invited him in several times to have the conversation, to have the dialogue. I wish we had the benefit of that, we never did. We would have benefited from that, absolutely."
Selbe notes that Goodell regrets how the protest was misinterpreted as being anti-America or anti-military, even as players made efforts to explain their actions. The league did very little at the time to show support for its players who chose to kneel.
"It is not about the flag," Goodell admits. "The message here, and what our players are doing, is being mischaracterized. These are not people who are unpatriotic. They're not disloyal. They're not against our military. In fact, many of those guys were in the military, and they're a military family.
"What they were trying to do was exercise their right to bring attention to something that needs to get fixed. That misrepresentation in who they were and what they were doing was a thing that really gnawed at me."
A lot has changed in the world since then, and awareness of social injustice and systematic discrimination is at an all-time high. Sadly, it took the killing of George Floyd to spark that heightened awareness.
"It was terrible. It was so graphic," 49ers general manager John Lynch said in June.
Meanwhile, Kaepernick has not played football since the 2016 season. His protests are believed to be at least part of the reason the quarterback remained unsigned as NFL clubs opted to steer clear of the controversy.
Lynch stated earlier this month that the 49ers would support any players who wish to protest during the upcoming season.
"I think our ownership has always been very clear that we respect the rights of our players to express themselves how they wish to do so," Lynch said. "I'm really proud of our players — and our staff, for that matter — for the way they've responded, and put into action some of the things, and their feelings."
H/t to Patrick Tulini for the find.