Account
Adam 'Pacman' Jones Talks Antonio Brown's Colin Kaepernick Criticism, QB's NFL Hopes
May 14, 2022
Former NFL cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones said he sides with wide receiver Antonio Brown, who questioned whether quarterback Colin Kaepernick is making a major charitable impact.
Last week, Brown appeared on the Cigar Talk podcast and asked for evidence of Kaepernick's success with his Know Your Rights Camp, which was launched in 2016.
"He built a foundation," Brown said. "What it do, though? I'm being real. What superhero he enforce? Who he put on? Who he help?"
Jones, who watched Kaepernick work out as part of his NFL comeback efforts in April, told TMZ Sports in an interview released Saturday it's a fair line of criticism. He specifically wondered about the money the former San Francisco 49ers star received from his settlement agreement with the NFL in 2019 after he filed a collusion lawsuit.
"As far as the community part, I think AB is right," Jones said. "We haven't heard anything that Kaep did for the community or given back to the community after the settlement."
The Know Your Rights Camp states on its website more than 1,400 people have attended its camps in eight different cities.
In July 2020, the organization committed $1 million to work with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation on community bail reform.
It also made $1.75 million in donations toward several causes, including $800,000 for COVID-19 relief and $500,000 for a legal defense initiative amid the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
The Know Your Rights Camp lists several other grants, ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.
Meanwhile, Jones disagreed with Brown on the topic of whether Kaepernick, who last played during the 2016 season, is genuinely interested in trying to play football again.
Brown said on Cigar Talk he doesn't believe the former Niners starter actually wants to compete, but Jones told TMZ he thinks the QB's showcase workouts are legit.
"I just think it's hard for a guy to fairy tale for two-and-a-half hours, three hours every day throwing the ball if you don't want to play," Jones said. "I think he want to play. Do he deserve to play? That's another question. But, do he want to play? I do think he want to play."
The 2015 Pro Bowler added Kaepernick would only play in the NFL, however, and isn't going to play in a second-tier league with the hope of earning another shot that way.
For his part, Kaepernick explained last month on the I Am Athlete podcast (via ESPN) he'd be willing to accept a backup job to get on an NFL roster.
"I know I have to find my way back in," he said. "So, yeah, if I have to come in as a backup, that's fine. But that's not where I'm staying. And when I prove that I'm a starter, I want to be able to step on the field as such. I just need that opportunity to walk through the door."
So far, there's been no suggestion he's generated serious interest from teams with a majority of free agency and the 2022 draft now in the rear-view mirror.