LaDainian Tomlinson: NFL Has a 'Black Eye' from Handling of Colin Kaepernick

Former Pro Bowl running back LaDainian Tomlinson said the NFL has a "black eye" from its handling of the Colin Kaepernick situation.

Kaepernick, who started the movement of kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality in 2016, has remained a free agent since March 2017 despite repeatedly stating his desire to play again in the NFL.

Tomlinson discussed Kaepernick and the league's response in an interview with Drew Davison of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram released Wednesday:

"It's unfortunate and it's sad and it's a black eye on our league, no question about it, what happened to Kaepernick not being able to get a job. I think now people are starting to appreciate what he did and they're understanding of why he did what he did even though at the time he was telling us what he was doing it for. People didn't want to listen. They wanted to hijack the message and say, 'Oh, he's disrespecting the flag.' Now when it's blatant and it's in your face, you have to accept the fact that, you know what, 'I was wrong. This is not right.'

"I'm just glad people are not turning a blind eye. I'm happy they're not saying this is just one incident and that's a bad cop. I'm glad people are not doing that. We need true police reform. We need justice reform. We need criminal justice reform. We need all of these things."

Kaepernick filed a grievance in 2017 alleging the league and owners colluded to keep him out of the NFL. He settled the grievance in February 2019.

Kaepernick's efforts beginning four years ago have come back into the spotlight amid worldwide protests after the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, while in Minneapolis Police Department custody last week.

Officer Derek Chauvin, who was captured on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd said he couldn't breathe, was fired and then charged third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the case. Three other officers involved in the arrest were fired but have not been charged.

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll also praised Kaepernick during an appearance Tuesday on the Flying Coach podcast (via ESPN's Nick Friedell):

"I think that there was a moment in time that a young man captured. He took a stand on something, figuratively took a knee, but he stood up for something he believed in—and what an extraordinary moment it was that he was willing to take. ...

"But what happened from the process is it elevated awareness from people that just took everything away from what the statement was all about, and it just got tugged and pulled and ripped apart. And the whole mission of what the statement was, such a beautiful ... it's still the statement that we're making right today. We're not protecting our people. We're not looking after one another. We're not making the right choices. We're not following the right process to bring people to justice when actions are taken. So I think it was a big sacrifice in the sense that a young man makes, but those are the courageous moments that some guys take.

"And we owe a tremendous amount to him for sure."

Tomlinson told Davison he's happy more white Americans, especially younger ones, are stepping up to voice their desire for change when it comes to racial equality.

"If I'm being honest and true and transparent about this, our white brothers and sisters, to me, have finally said enough is enough," he said. "We know the history and now we're seeing it over and over again. This is too much. We don't want to live like this. The younger generation is saying this is not who we want to be, so we see a rise up with the younger generation."

Meanwhile, Kaepernick launched an initiative through his Know Your Rights Camp to pay for legal costs accrued by protesters in Minnesota.