Report: Players Seek Mediation for Anthem Controversy, Colin Kaepernick Invited

NFL players are reportedly interested in third-party mediation with the league as they attempt to "resolve the anthem controversy," per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.  

Florio reported the news Sunday, noting San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid sent a letter on behalf of the players to NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent asking for "the hiring of a third party to preside over settlement talks aimed at reaching a global agreement."

What's more, Reid asked former 49ers teammate Colin Kaepernick—who was the first player to protest racial inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the anthem—to attend. Florio noted the free-agent quarterback agreed to show up, and that the players would like the third-party mediation to also include the collusion grievance he filed against the league owners.

Florio explained mediation doesn't actually result in a formal ruling, although "the goal is to give the parties a structure for working out their differences, with a neutral party pushing them toward an acceptable middle ground."

Reid asked for a response from Vincent by Monday.

It is notable Reid is so involved, considering he was one of the first players to kneel alongside Kaepernick last year when they were both on San Francisco. He has also remained involved in the headlines during the 2017 season when he called Vice President Mike Pence's decision to leave a game between the 49ers and Indianapolis Colts a "PR stunt," per Jennifer Lee Chan of Niners Nation.

Pence tweeted he elected to leave after some players didn't stand during the anthem.

The current administration in the White House has been quite involved in the anthem issue. Hundreds of players either knelt or linked arms in demonstration during Week 3 after President Donald Trump said at a rally that league owners should "Get that son of a bitch off the field right now" if a player kneels.

As far as Kaepernick's collusion grievance, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reported Sunday that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and notable owners such as Dallas' Jerry Jones, New England's Robert Kraft and Houston's Bob McNair are set to be deposed and asked to turn over their cell phone records and emails regarding the situation.