Unemployed NFL star Eric Reid is pleading with teams to forgive him for kneeling during the National Anthem – after receiving the cold shoulder from multiple teams.
Reid, 26, was a member of the San Francisco 49ers alongside quarterback Colin Kaepernick when Kaepernick began the protest back in 2016. Reid was one of Kaepernick’s first teammates to join in. Reid continued to kneel even after the NFL Player’s Union agreed to a settlement with the NFL to stop protesting.
But now, Reid’s contract with the 49ers is up… and, two weeks into free agency, he seems to be panicking that his activism has made him radioactive to other teams.
Reid said previously that he was “completely fine with” the consequences to his career in the name of his protest. But now that he’s out of work, he’s singing a different tune.
In a plea to other NFL teams, Reid explained that he’s turned over a new leaf when it comes to “activism” – and it won’t involve the controversial kneeling.
“I’m not saying I’m going to stop being active because I won’t,” Reid said. “I’m just going to consider different ways to be active, different ways to bring awareness to the issues of this country and improve on the issues happening in this country. I don’t think it will be in the form of protesting during the anthem. I say ‘during’ because it’s crazy that the narrative changed to we were protesting the anthem and that wasn’t the case. I think we’re going to take a different approach to how we’re going to be active.”
Reid didn’t explain what “different approach” he would take in his activism. But it’s not clear whether or not teams will ultimately forgive him for his controversial protesting.