Colin Kaepernick’s critics just gained an ally they never expected.
Embattled wide receiver Antonio Brown unloaded when talking about Colin Kaepernick on a recent podcast interview. During his rant about the controversial quarterback, Brown, who is no stranger to controversy himself, called Kaepernick “trash” and said the former San Francisco signal-caller doesn’t actually want to play in the NFL again.
“He don’t wanna play, man,” Brown said on the “Cigar Talk” podcast. “He was trash.”
Brown objected to the notion that Kaepernick has been mistreated, noting his Netflix documentary and Nike deal as evidence to the contrary.
“They gave him the money and they gave him a commercial, they gave him the documentary,” Brown said. “He took a deal. We don’t feel sorry for you. You took the deal. F—- out of here. Oh, Kaepernick. Man, you on f——— Nike, man.”
Antonio Brown says they don’t feel bad about Colin Kaepernick not being able to play in the NFL because he “Took the deal” and says he was trash on the field 👀
— My Mixtapez (@mymixtapez) May 6, 2022
🎥: @NajiChill pic.twitter.com/qM4oLPk1iL
After Kaepernick’s kneeling controversy during the 2016 season — his last in the NFL — the league reached a settlement with the quarterback and safety Eric Reid in 2019 after the two players alleged the 32 owners colluded to keep them out of the league
“Kaepernick did all that and took the money and then got the commercial,” Brown said. “We don’t see Kaepernick outside. Where he at? I ain’t never seem him outside. He already took the money, all that’s cap. We ain’t respecting that, bro.”
Kaepernick has donated a total of $1 million to multiple charities as well as launching the Know Your Rights Camp, which includes the Autopsy Initiative to offer free autopsies to people who lose family members in police-related deaths.
Brown is far from the first person to question Kaepernick’s motives in the last five years, especially regarding his interest in coming back to the NFL. But this offseason, Kaepernick has seemed to take an extra few steps toward a return — posting workouts with NFL wideouts on social media, serving as an honorary captain at Michigan’s spring game and saying that he would be willing to take a backup job.
Kaepernick also isn’t the first person Brown has criticized this offseason. The former Steelers wideout, who had one of the best stretches of any pass catcher in NFL history from 2013 to 2018, has gone on other podcasts to complain about Tom Brady, former Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians and others.
Brown’s 2021 season infamously ended when he took off his pads and shirt and ran off the field in the middle of a game in January.
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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