Los Angeles Lakers superstar forward LeBron James said Thursday that the NFL owes former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick an apology.
“As far as the NFL, I’m not in those locker rooms. I’m not with those guys. But I do understand that an apology, I have not heard a true, official apology to Colin Kaepernick on what he was going through and what he was trying to tell the NFL and tell the world about why he was kneeling,” LeBron said in an interview with Bloomberg News. (RELATED: SMOKE BREAK: A Grand Total Of ZERO NFL Teams Have Called Colin Kaepernick Since His Workout)
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Kaepernick has not played in the league since 2016, when he began a protest movement by kneeling for the national anthem before games. Following the death of George Floyd, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a video apologizing for not “listening” to the league’s players, but did not mention Kaepernick by name.
“Now they are listening some, but I still think we have not heard that official apology to a man who basically sacrificed everything for the better of this world,” LeBron added of the NFL.
LeBron James #23 and JaVale McGee #7 of the Los Angeles Lakers react to a play against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Staples Center on March 03, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
LeBron has long been outspoken about his support for Kaepernick’s activism, praising the quarterback after he reached a settlement with the NFL last year.
“I stand with Kaep. I kneel with Kaep… I’m happy he won his suit. I hope he got a hell of a lot of money to set his family up for a long time,” LeBron said at the time.