There isn’t a lot he can actually do to force any team’s hand — on the surface — but NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Monday on ESPN’s “The Return of Sports” special he would encourage a team to sign Colin Kaepernick.
Goodell took part in the show, which featured heads of many major sports.
“Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it’s gonna take a team to make that decision. But I welcome that, support a club making that decision, and encourage them to do that.
“If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities. We have invited him in before, and we want to make sure that everybody’s welcome at that table, and trying to help us deal with some very complex, difficult issues, that have been around for a long time.
“But I hope we’re at a point now where everybody’s committed to making long-term, sustainable change.”
Kaepernick, of course, has been out of the league since opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in 2017. Teams did not look to add him due to his kneeling during the national anthem, activism and protesting social inequality.
Less than a month ago, Goodell changed the tenor of his and the league’s feelings, calling to change and apologizing on behalf of the NFL for not doing a better job of listening to players’ concerns on racial inequality, but he was criticized for not mentioning Kaepernick by name.