Reports: Seahawks postpone Colin Kaepernick workout over anthem kneeling
The Seattle Seahawks scheduled a workout this week with quarterback Colin Kaepernick but postponed it after Kaepernick would not assure the team that he wouldn’t kneel during the playing of the national anthem.
That’s according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Citing league sources, Schefter writes that the Seahawks reached out to Kaepernick two weeks ago to arrange a visit to the team facility and workout, and made tentative travel arrangements.
Colin Kaepernick, right, would not assure Seattle that he will not continue to kneel during the national anthem, so the Seahawks postponed a visit with the free agent quarterback. (AP)
But when the Seahawks asked Kaepernick for assurances that he wouldn’t kneel this season and Kaepernick would not give it to them, the visit was postponed.
Seattle could still bring Kaepernick in; the decision is not final. Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson explained that the workout could happen at a later time, but kneeling for the anthem is an issue.
This is not what I am hearing. I heard the same thing @AdamSchefter has reported. That the workout was killed over kneeling. Not "failing to have a plan". https://t.co/Fcx7yi5NWV
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 12, 2018
More: After canceling workout, #Seahawks left door open to start over w/ Kaepernick. Basically, canceled the visit, talked of starting over. This at least partially aligns with @RapSheet reporting Seattle wanted a "plan". But STRONG disagreement that kneeling wasn't any issue. https://t.co/90gbAigRA1
— Charles Robinson (@CharlesRobinson) April 12, 2018
The Seahawks are in need of a backup quarterback after cutting backup Trevone Boykin last month, after Boykin’s longtime girlfriend accused him of a brutal assault in an interview with a Dallas television station. Boykin has been charged with felony aggravated assault.
On Tuesday, Kaepernick was deposed by the NFL in his collusion grievance against the league. Kaepernick began sitting, then kneeling, during the anthem in 2016 to protest extrajudicial killing of citizens by law enforcement officers and other issues of racial and social injustice.
Given that Kaepernick’s former teammate, Eric Reid, visited the Cincinnati Bengals this week and also was asked to give assurances that he wouldn’t continue to kneel and left Cincinnati without a contract, the league doesn’t appear to be doing much for its case.
Kaepernick has not formally worked out for any team since he became a free agent a little more than a year ago.
More from Yahoo Sports:
• 49ers’ Reuben Foster charged with felony domestic violence
• 2018 NBA playoffs: The 8 first-round matchups
• Exposed: NFL’s ‘wink-wink’ policy on anthem kneeling
• Knicks fire head coach after yet another dismal season
