Colin Kaepernick claims that National Football League (NFL) owners are colluding against rapper Macklemore following his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour due to comments about Palestine. Kaepernick, who faced career repercussions after kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality, sees parallels between his own situation and Macklemore's current controversy. On a podcast interview, Kaepernick asserts that NFL owners will retaliate against anyone they perceive as threatening their interests or power structure, much like how he was sidelined from football post-protest actions.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rapper Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's US tour after making pro-Palestinian comments during concerts in New Jersey, including chanting "Free Palestine" and accusing Israel of apartheid. The decision came after venues threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore remained on the tour. In a post on Instagram, Macklemore said that Ed Sheeran's team had decided to remove him due to pressure from stadium owners like billionaire Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Kraft claimed the rapper's recent performances and history of rhetoric were hurtful to the Jewish community. The controversy highlights tensions between pro-Palestinian advocacy and concerns over perceived antisemitism in public discourse. Macklemore defended his stance, emphasizing that Palestinian people are the real victims of conflict. The replacement for Macklemore on Sheeran’s tour is yet to be announced.
Written for “Macklemore Dropped From Tour” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 25 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's own words the score was based on. Each is quoted
verbatim and was checked against the article text before being
stored, so you can find it in the original.
Leaning score -0.65 for article 14439 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-17
Colin Kaepernick has accused NFL owners of colluding against Macklemore after the rapper was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour over comments he made onstage about Palestine.
asserted
he → accuse → Palestine
Kaepernick, whose NFL career was effectively ended in the wake of his protests against police violence, says he sees parallels between himself and Macklemore.
asserted
he → end → himself
“The part that I hope people appreciate and take away in this moment is what [New England Patriots owner] Robert Kraft and what they’re saying by denying Macklemore the opportunity to go out and perform with Ed Sheeran is they are willing to collude,” Kaepernick said on the MeidasTouch podcast.
asserted
Kaepernick → hope → podcast
“The [NFL owners] are openly colluding.”
asserted
owners → collude → ?
Macklemore had been a supporting act on Ed Sheeran’s tour.
asserted
Macklemore → support → tour
During an appearance at New Jersey’s MetLife stadium he told the crowd he wanted the people of Gaza and “the occupied West Bank” to know “we have not forgotten about them”.
asserted
we → tell → them
He also said “free Palestine”.
asserted
He → say → Palestine
Kraft, who is a longtime supporter of Israel, and several other owners of NFL stadiums the tour was due to visit said they would not let Macklemore play at their venues.
asserted
Macklemore → visit → venues
This prompted Macklemore to be removed from the tour.
asserted
This → prompt → tour
All four supporting acts for upcoming dates of Sheeran’s tour have since withdrawn in support of Macklemore.
asserted
acts → support → Macklemore
During the 2016 NFL season, Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem in protest at police brutality and social injustice.
asserted
Kaepernick → begin → brutality
Despite being in his prime, Kaepernick was not signed by any NFL team after he left the San Francisco 49ers at the end of that season, and he has not played in the league since.
asserted
he → sign → league
He filed a grievance against the NFL in 2017, and the case was settled in 2019 with terms of the agreement undisclosed.
asserted
terms → file → agreement
Kaepernick told the MeidasTouch podcast that Kraft and other NFL owners had tried to hound out Macklemore in a similar way they did to him.
asserted
they → tell → him
“When we filed the grievance, it was like, well, the owners wouldn’t do that,” Kaepernick said.
asserted
Kaepernick → file → that
“Everybody just wants to win within the NFL.
asserted
Everybody → want → NFL
They want to protect their interests.
asserted
They → want → interests
They want to protect their power.
asserted
They → want → power
They want to protect their money.
asserted
They → want → money
And they also want people to know that if you take an action that they don’t agree with, they will come for you.”
asserted
they → want → you
Kraft has said his decision to ban Macklemore from the Patriots’ stadium was due to his “recent actions” and “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”.
asserted
we → say → community
Kaepernick said others may find themselves in a similar situation to Macklemore in the future.
uncertain
others → say → future
“It may not touch you today, at some point it’s going to come knocking on your doorstep or someone you love’s doorstep and that’s not the moment to be able to take action,” he said.
uncertain
he → touch → action
“We should be taking action actively right now.”
asserted
We → take → action
Elsewhere on Wednesday, NBA star Kyrie Irving said he would pay a $11,492 fine the NFL gave to Azeez Al-Shair after he displayed the name of a Palestinian girl killed by Israel during a game.
asserted
he → say → game
Al-Shair did so using a face marking banned by the league.
asserted
Shair → do → league
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