From NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s perspective, he was just trying to help.
He combed through resumes, took note of a former employee who never quite reached his potential, and called him in for an impromptu job interview. Never mind that said employee had been exiled from the company for nearly three years under contentious circumstances—or that he might not even be adequately prepared for an interview on such short notice.
Goodell was tired of the whispers and the accusations of blacklists and collusion. He was tired of the boycotts and pitchforks and bad press. He was tired of vice presidents and managers and interns pestering him in the hallways with, “But I could really use him in my department” or “You’ve gotta make this right.”
So an olive branch was extended.
But instead of gratitude, Goodell got a text message:
“Sorry,” the message sent by Colin Kaepernick’s legal team to an NFL attorney said. “We’re going to go in a different direction.”
But hindsight is a blessing, and that interview was proven to be nothing more than a farce. It was also later revealed that the terms of reinstatement were… well, dubious at best.
As such, a former rising star within the corporation failed to return to the fold and according to CNN, Goodell is officially washing his hands of the situation.
“This was [...] about creating an opportunity, which Colin’s representatives came out in early October and we created that opportunity,” Goodell said at the NFL owners’ meetings on Wednesday. “It was a unique opportunity—an incredible opportunity and he chose not to take it. I understand that. And we’ve moved on here.”
From NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s perspective, he was just trying to help.
And with no more Mr. Nice Guy, Colin Kaepernick is finally becoming a martyr after all.