After news broke that Colin Kaepernick won a multi-million dollar settlement from the NFL, former Kansas City Chiefs player Larry Johnson slammed the former 49er for “taking money from an oppressor.” While singing a confidentiality agreement that prevents him from talking about it.
The one-time All-Pro running back is furious that Kaepernick “corrupted and diluted his message” by taking the hush money, according to TMZ Sports.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who became infamous for beginning the anthem kneeling movement, turned free agent in 2017. However, he was never picked up by another team. He subsequently sued the NFL and the owners for “colluding” to keep him on the sidelines.
On Friday, news broke that Kaepernick settled his lawsuit for as much as $80 million. though, Kaepernick also signed a confidentiality agreement meaning he won’t be able to talk about the settlement or what evidence was presented during the case.
Some have begun to claim that this agreement makes it look like Kaepernick sold out for the cash while his activism is stifled. It appears that Johnson is one of those.
The 2003 first round, 27th overall draft pick for the Chiefs feels that Kaepernick has actually betrayed his cause by taking the undisclosed settlement and signing the hush agreement.
“If your backdrop is going to be the African American civil rights presence that it brought from the ’60s and you’re going to use that for your own causes, you don’t sell out,” Johnson said.
Johnson also slammed Kaepernick’s contract with Nike saying, “You don’t turn your message into a Nike hoodie.”
The former running back accused Kaepernick of giving the NFL “a way out” by accepting the settlement.
“Now I don’t know what activist — Martin Luther King or Malcolm X — I don’t know what civil rights leader that you even saw or follow that made you even think that selling out to your oppressor or signing a deal with your oppressor was the way to go,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s feeling is echoed by a growing undercurrent of people who think that Kaepernick somehow sold out by taking the deal.
Some on Twitter also feel that Kaepernick did not advance his cause — whatever that may be — by taking the hush money.
I’m not sure why we call @SteveHarveyFM a sellout for trading integrity for money, while @Kaepernick7 just took a payoff from the NFL to remain silent. Aren’t they pretty much doing the same thing?
— Dr Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1) February 16, 2019
He lost. He claimed he wanted transparency, yet he took the money and signed confidentiality agreements. #sellout #Kap
— Diesel Nuts (@RipTits44) February 15, 2019
This is disappointing. Kaepernick and Reid aren’t sellouts by any stretch. But they had the potential to expose the depths of the NFL’s collusion, and possibly to prevent it from happening again. Money is something the owners have. This is not a deterrent. https://t.co/5Nh3mhQDMo
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) February 15, 2019
While it’s apparent the settlement Colin Kaepernick & Eric Reid agreed upon in their collusion case against the NFL is satisfactory to all parties involved, I’m just curious how does this result protect players in the future from what they alleged happened to them?
— ig: josinaanderson (@JosinaAnderson) February 15, 2019
I was 100% behind @Kaepernick7 in his lawsuit against the NFL. The fact that a settlement has been reached that includes a confidentiality agreement and no further information about what the NFL agreed to, it makes this look like a money grab instead of a stand against injustice
— CJ (@CJRockford) February 15, 2019
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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