Colin Kaepernick may have pocketed up to $80million in his breakthrough settlement with the NFL.
The controversial free agent quarterback finally settled his collusion grievance against the NFL on Friday, ending the nearly two-year-long case.
The terms and details of the settlement were not disclosed but NFL columnist Mike Freeman speculates the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback may have received between $60million to $80million in the agreement.
'Number NFL team officials are speculating to me is the NFL paid Kaepernick in the $60 to $80 million range,' Freeman of the Bleacher Report tweeted Friday afternoon.
Kaepernick filed his grievance against the NFL back in October 2017, accusing the league and its 32 teams of blacklisting him and preventing him from being signed in retaliation to his kneeling national anthem protest against police brutality.
Colin Kaepernick (left) may have pocketed between $60million and $80million in his breakthrough settlement with the NFL that was reached on Friday. He and Eric Reid (right) had both sued the NFL, accusing all 32 owners of colluding to keep the pair unsigned in retaliation to their take a knee protest during the national anthem to fight racist police brutality
The terms and details of the settlement were not disclosed but NFL columnist Mike Freeman speculates the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback may have received between $60million to $80million in the agreement
On Friday their lawyer announced that the details of the settlement would remain confidential, but experts speculate that they may have pocketed an upwards of $80million in the deal
His former San Francisco 49ers teammate Eric Reid had filed a grievance against the league that was also settled on Friday.
NFL experts previously speculated that Kaepernick would only withdraw his grievance if he was offered a lucrative settlement.
'Sources previously said Kaepernick would only withdraw if a lucrative settlement was secured,' Charles Robinson of Yahoo reported.
Then earlier this week Kaepernick’s attorney Mark Geragos said in a podcast interview with comedian Adam Carolla that he believed Kaepernick’s case would go to trial, then a days later the settlement was announced.
'For the past several months, counsel for Mr. Kaepernick and Mr. Reid have engaged in an ongoing dialogue with representatives of the NFL,' read a joint statement published by the league and the players' attorney, Mark Geragos. 'As a result of those discussions, the parties have decided to resolve the pending grievances. The resolution of this matter is subject to a confidentiality agreement so there will be no further comment by any party.'
Kaepernick's original filing claimed the owners 'have colluded to deprive Mr. Kaepernick of employment rights in retaliation for Mr. Kaepernick's leadership and advocacy for equality and social justice and his bringing awareness to peculiar institutions still undermining racial equality in the United States.'
NFL commissioner Roger Goodel, several owners, and at least two NFL executives were deposed and asked to turn over all relevant phone records and emails in relation to Kaepernick's case against the NFL.
The NFL's collective-bargaining agreement makes it clear that unemployment does not necessarily prove collusion, so Kaepernick and Reid needed to show that a 'club, its employees or agents [had] entered into an agreement' to restrict or limit any contract offers to the players, according to ESPN.
The protests began with Kaepernick during the 2016 NFL preseason, when he was still a member of the 49ers.
