NFL's waiver for Colin Kaepernick the main focus of issue over workout
A waiver the NFL wanted Colin Kaepernick to sign prior to his Saturday workout was the major issue between the former quarterback’s camp and league officials.
Kaepernick’s representatives said the NFL “demanded” as a precondition for the showcase that the quarterback signs an “unusual liability waiver.” Kaepernick also wanted his own film crew to attend and videotape the session, which the NFL rejected. As talks over the waiver broke down, Kaepernick and his team abruptly moved the workout to a high school 60 miles away from the Atlanta Falcons' training facility where the event was supposed to take place.
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The league said it sent Kaepernick’s reps “a standard liability waiver based on the waiver used by National Invitational Camp at all NFL Combines and by NFL clubs when trying out free agent players" on Wednesday, only for the quarterback's team to send "a completely rewritten and insufficient waiver” at noon Saturday.
TMZ Sports reported Monday that the NFL’s waiver to the quarterback was about 1,200 words and Kaepernick’s waiver to the league was 268 words.
Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick participates in a workout for NFL football scouts and media, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Riverdale, Ga. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)
Kaepernick was willing to sign a waiver that released the NFL from any legal liability should he have gotten injured during the workout, according to TMZ Sports.
But Kaepernick ultimately felt the NFL’s waiver could be “construed as much broader than that” and could have prevented him from bringing future action against the league over employment law violations or the league’s collective bargaining agreement, TMZ Sports reported.
ALL NFL TEAMS GET COLIN KAEPERNICK WORKOUT VIDEO: REPORT
Kaepernick’s waiver reportedly stuck to physical injuries instead of injuries “arising out of, occurring during, or related directly or indirectly to the workout.”
In the end, Kaepernick decided to move locations, and the workout featured fewer team reps than what would have been at the NFL-hosted event. Afterward, he reminded NFL teams he was still ready to play.
Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick participates in a workout for NFL football scouts and media, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Riverdale, Ga. (AP Photo/Todd Kirkland)
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“I’ve been ready for three years,” Kaepernick said. “I’ve been denied for three years. We all know why. I came out here today and showed it in front of everybody. We have nothing to hide. We’re waiting for the 32 owners, the 32 teams, [NFL Commissioner] Roger Goodell, all of them to stop running, stop running from the truth, stop running from the people.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.