Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL on Sunday, alleging that he remains unsigned as a result of collusion by owners following his protests during the national anthem.

Kaepernick started a national conversation about political activism by athletes last season when he decided to sit, and then kneel, during the anthem to bring attention to mistreatment of African-Americans by police. Other players have continued the protests this season, prompting an angry response from President Donald Trump, who said players should be fired for not standing during the anthem.

Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers at the end of last season and remains a free agent despite a rash of injuries and poor play at the quarterback position.

Mark Geragos, one of Kaepernick香蕉视频直播檚 attorneys, said in a statement posted on Twitter on Sunday that he filed the grievance 香蕉视频直播渙nly after pursuing every possible avenue with all NFL teams and their executives.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淚f the NFL (as well as all professional sports leagues) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful political protest 香蕉视频直播� which the owners themselves made great theatre imitating weeks ago 香蕉视频直播� should not be punished,香蕉视频直播� Geragos said in the statement, 香蕉视频直播渁nd athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the executive branch of our government. Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation.香蕉视频直播�

San Francisco safety Eric Reid, Kaepernick香蕉视频直播檚 former teammate, has been kneeling during the anthem before games, including Sunday香蕉视频直播檚 26-24 loss at the Washington Redskins.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檒l have to follow up with him,香蕉视频直播� Reid said after the game. 香蕉视频直播淚t sure does seem like he香蕉视频直播檚 being blackballed. I think all the stats prove that he香蕉视频直播檚 an NFL-worthy quarterback. So that香蕉视频直播檚 his choice and I support his decision. We香蕉视频直播檒l just have to see what comes of it.香蕉视频直播�

The NFL players香蕉视频直播� union said it would support the grievance, which was filed through the arbitration system that香蕉视频直播檚 part of the league香蕉视频直播檚 collective bargaining agreement.

香蕉视频直播淐olin Kaepernick香蕉视频直播檚 goal has always been, and remains, to simply be treated fairly by the league he performed at the highest level for and to return to the football playing field,香蕉视频直播� Geragos said.

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The Associated Press