The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has filed a lawsuit against the National Football League’s team owners, the New York Times reported. The footballer has hired attorney Mark Geragos and blamed the 32 teams for the alleged collision to keep him out of the league. The league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement states that neither players nor the NFL are allowed to deprive a sports player of employment.

How did it start?

Colin Kaepernick was the first professional sports player who kelt down during the National Anthem playing before the match last year, violating the rule of standing while listening to the anthem.

He started the protest, which got a famous hashtag "TakeAKnee" on social media. Several US sports stars followed his act and also knelt down to demonstrate their disagreement with social injustice, racial inequality, and discrimination in the US, the Guardian reported.

High school players, other amateurs, and a German soccer club Hertha Berlin with their coaching staff and club officials also joined the kneeling protest. President Donald Trump regarded such behavior as disrespectful and said that the NFL officials should fire those players who do not respect the country.

The owner of Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys claimed that those players who do not stand during the National Anthem would be benched, the New York Daily News reported.

Kaepernick's current situation

Kaepernick remains a free agent as he has not found a new team to sign a contract after opting out of his contract with the 49ers in the beginning of spring. The NFL refused to give any comments about his claim, but the NFL Players Association stated that the union would assist and support Kaepernick.

For the last months, many teams with a need for a quarterback have not invited Kaepernick to work with them. According to experts, the possible reason for that may be that the NFL owners are intended to punish him or consider that his participation would alienate fans. The lawyers stated that it would be difficult to prove a conspiracy against the footballer.

According to Kaepernick's attorney Mark Geragos, his aim was to be treated fairly and to come back to the NFL, where "he performed at the highest level," ABC News reported. Geragos stated that the sportsmen should not be left without work because of their "partisan political provocation" by the US government.
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