NFL owner grills free agent anthem protester into flip-flopping
No NFL player has protested the national anthem longer than Eric Reid.
When he was with the San Francisco 49ers, Reid joined quarterback Colin Kaepernick in taking a knee for the anthem in September 2016, and the safety continued to protest through last season.
Now Reid is a free agent in search of a new team.
The five-year veteran — apparently worried that his divisive political demonstrations might limit his job opportunities — announced last month he no longer will protest during the anthem.
“From the beginning, Colin has been flexible,” Reid told reporters. “He started by sitting — he changed it up. We decided to kneel. And we understand that you’ve got to change with the times.
“I’m not going to say that I’m going to stop being active, because I won’t. I’m just going to consider different ways to be active, different ways to bring awareness to the issues of this country — to improve the issues happening in this country.”
On Monday, Reid visited the Cincinnati Bengals and met one-on-one with owner Mike Brown, according to NBC Sports’ Mike Florio.
#49ers FA S Eric Reid, whose #Bengals visit has been a long-time coming, has been methodical about his plans. Have to think there is a real chance he signs with this visit. Would allow Cincy to play more three-safety looks, which is their goal.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 9, 2018
Florio, citing “a source with knowledge of the situation,” said Brown told Reid he plans to prohibit anthem protests by Bengals players next season.
The owner asked him for a response.
According to the NBC report, Reid “wasn’t willing to make a commitment on the spot.”
Florio said the safety “hasn’t made any final decisions” about whether he’ll stop protesting and “wasn’t willing to do so at the direct request and behest of Brown.”
Reid also took a physical and met with Bengals coaches, but he left Cincinnati without a contract.
NBC asked the team to comment on Reid’s interview and received the following statement: “The Club conducts many interviews with players throughout the year. The Club views these interviews as confidential and does not comment on them.”
Some were outraged that Bengals ownership would try to pin Reid down on his protesting plans.
The @ACLU needs to get into the fray here… the #nfl is clearly discriminating.
— Joe (@xplrer99) April 11, 2018
https://twitter.com/NoDoublethinkXX/status/984064981816705025
However, one of Florio’s media colleagues, Ross Tucker, responded, “Of course it did.”
“Leaking this definitely won’t help his cause that’s for sure,” he tweeted.
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