Report: Jerry Jones, Bob McNair, Robert Kraft to be Deposed in Kaepernick Collusion Grievance
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Texans owner Bob McNair are among a number of people that will be deposed in relation to Colin Kaepernick's collusion grievance against the league, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
They will be required to turn over all cell phone calls and emails in relation to Kaepernick, according to Schefter, and a number of other owners, teams and league officials will also be deposed.
Kaepernick filed a grievance against the league for allegedly colluding to not sign him, which would be a violation of the collective bargaining agreement. Simply proving that Kaepernick deserves to be on a roster based on performance, or that he has not been signed due to his social activism, does not prove collusion; There must be evidence that teams communicated with each other and made a collective decision not to sign him.
Seahawks owner Paul Allen and coach Pete Caroll will also be deposed and required to turn over cell phone and email records, according to TMZ Sports. Kaepernick met with the Seahawks in the offseason but was not signed. Carroll did say that he believes Kaepernick is "a starter in this league."
Colin Kaepernick’s Collusion Claim: Does He Have a Case?
Kaepernick threw for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions last season with the 49ers, but he has been a subject of controversy after he began protesting racial injustice during the national anthem.
Jones has been on record saying he believes the national anthem protests are hurting the NFL. There were reports that Jones told Cowboys players that they will not play if they kneel during the anthem.
McNair made headlines with an insensitive comment during the league's meeting to discuss the protests. McNair warned against having "inmates running the prison," a comment that was heavily criticized by his own team and athletes around the sports world.
Kraft has said he feels it's "very important to respect our flag and our anthem," but also said he respects the right of players to "make statements or protests, peacefully, in a way that's appropriate to them." Kraft also said that he has never heard anyone talk about excluding Kaepernick.
A number of quarterbacks have suffered significant injuries this season—including Carson Palmer, Aaron Rodgers and DeShaun Watson–but Kaepernick remains unsigned.
