Colin Kaepernick settled his collusion grievance with the NFL last month for reportedly less than $10 million, which is well short of the figures put forth in an earlier speculative report.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback had filed a grievance against the league, accusing all 32 owners of colluding to keep him unsigned since March of 2017 in retaliation for his controversial protests during the national anthem. Kaepernick was attempting to raise awareness of inequality and racist police brutality, and to varying degrees, players have protested over the last two NFL seasons amid criticism from fans and even President Donald Trump.
The exact figure of the deal was never revealed, but on Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that people briefed on the grievance settlement said Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid, who filed his own similar grievance, each made less than $10 million.
Bleacher Report's https://twitter.com/mikefreemanNFL/status/1096495453548564480 reported previously that league executives speculated that Kaepernick received between $60 million and $80 million.
The exact figure of the deal was never revealed, but on Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that people briefed on the grievance settlement said Kaepernick (right) and former teammate Eric Reid (left), who filed his own similar grievance, each made less than $10 million
An NFL spokesman told the Daily Mail the league will continue to honor the agreement, and refrained from commenting on the Wall Street Journal report.
Had Kaepernick won the grievance, the NFL collective bargaining agreement would have entitled him to damages worth three times the amount he lost as a result of the collusion, as determined by an independent arbitrator.
Kaepernick made $14 million in 2016 before opting out of his contract the following March in anticipation of his release.
For instance, if an arbitrator determined Kaepernick could have earned a two-year deal worth $20 million were it not for the collusion, he would have been entitled to $50 million in the ruling.
Had the NFL failed to settle the grievance out of court, Kaepernick could have sued in civil court, possibly costing the league millions more.
Both Kaepernick and Reid needed to prove not only that they deserved to be signed by an NFL team, but that there had been a coordinated effort to keep both players on the free-agent market.
Kaepernick and Reid's attorney Mark Geragos (pictured) had frequently argued that the embattled free agent quarterback deserved a chance to return to the NFL
Kaepernick attorney Mark Geragos argued that it was a 'statistical impossibility' that Kaepernick had been passed over on merit alone, but it's unclear if he had proof that the owners agreed to leave him unsigned.
The question of whether or not Kaepernick is good enough to play in the NFL has remained a topic of conversation around the league for the last two seasons.
Kaepernick did lead the 49ers to three consecutive NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl, and his career 88.9 quarterback rating is superior to the marks of several quarterbacks who started over the course of the 2018 season.
Over his six-year NFL career, Kaepernick completed 59.8 percent of his passes for 12,271 yards, 72 touchdowns and just 30 interceptions. He also ran for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, gaining 6.1 yards per carry.
Not only did Colin Kaepernick lead the 49ers to three consecutive NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl, but his career 88.9 quarterback rating is superior to the marks of several quarterbacks who started over the course of the 2018 season
Previously both Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said they feel as though Kaepernick is good enough to be playing in the NFL, and Rogers went so far as to tell ESPN that he believes the former University of Nevada star remains a free agent because of the protests.
