First things first, we know about Kaepernick's "sudden" workout coming this Saturday. Unless Kap gets signed, there's nothing more to that...it's just a workout, even if it's an official one or just another NFL PR move. However, this update is not about that...

Earlier this week, a lifelong NFL fan named Charleen Gavette emailed us a letter that she just sent to the NFL and its teams today. She was inspired by our work on making the league accountable for its actions on Colin Kaepernick, and is disappointed to find out Kap still hasn't been signed all this time. We were touched by how poignant this email is, so with her permission we're posting the email she sent to the league in its entirety here. Feel free to share...

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NFL, Team Owners:

I wanted to let you know you have lost a lifelong football fan. 

I have watched football all this year hoping and believing things would be different. But, as so many starting quarterbacks were sidelined because of injuries and not one team gave Colin Kaepernick a tryout, it is clear the NFL will never let him back into the league. I had watched and paid attention to the teams this year knowing the NFL could not possibly continue their punitive actions again in 2019.

I was wrong and I am done with football.  

The hypocrisy to claim the league is dedicated to putting only the best product on the field when teams scrape the bottom of the barrel to employ formally retired, bottom tier players all while a Super Bowl quarterback is not even given a look.  

The hypocrisy to claim the league cares about character while employing rapists, women abusers, child abusers, animal abusers, murderers, dog killers, gun criminals, drug and alcohol abusers, and giving these players chance after chance after chance while someone peacefully and quietly kneeling to bring awareness to police brutality and social inequality is found guilty of an inexcusable crime worthy of permanent banishment.

The hypocrisy to claim the league is dedicated to and leading the charge in social justice issues and police misconduct when these were never on the league’s radar prior to Kaepernick kneeling, all while denying him employment.

The NFL has never said why Colin has not been given a chance so I can only speculate.  

Is it because the league is afraid of an intelligent, compassionate, self-aware black man?

If so, shame on the NFL.

Is it because the league bowed to Trump and allowed him to hijack and twist Kaepernick’s message in order to give his campaign and his white base a rallying cry.

If so, shame on the NFL.

Is it because the league has either been afraid of criticism from Trump or in alliance with Trump and therefore unwilling to back your own player and correct the narrative, leaving Kaepernick to face the repercussions alone even though he made it abundantly clear he had the utmost respect for the military?

If so, shame on the NFL.

Is it because the league is afraid of the players following a leader such as Kaepernick and the NFL would then have to actually address a social issue rather than simply giving lip service and throwing some dollars at it?

If so, shame on the NFL. “Songs of the Season” is really not going to solve the problem.

Is it because Kaepernick discovered some unsavory information about the league and owners during the collusion hearing and the league wants it to all fade away?

If so, shame on the NFL.

Is it because the league cares only about dollars and believes allowing Kaepernick back will cost it revenue by losing “patriotic” white, racist fans.

If so, shame on the NFL. Asking your country to live up to the ideals it professes is one of the most patriotic actions one can take.

If none of these is correct, get a spine, allow him back or state why he cannot be employed again. Otherwise the prevailing sentiment of blackballing stands. With the current quarterbacks on team rosters, no one can be convinced it is because he is not good enough. Do not even try to use that. 

History will not look favorably on the NFL and the 32 owners. Good-bye NFL, and please stop pretending you actually care about anything other than your own monetary interests, it is not a good look, we see right through it.

- Charleen Gavette