Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick accused New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and other NFL owners of "openly colluding" to force Macklemore off Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks.
asserted
Kaepernick → accuse → remarks
Kaepernick drew a direct comparison between Macklemore’s removal and his own allegation that NFL owners conspired to keep him out of the league after he began protesting during the national anthem in 2016.
asserted
he → draw → 2016
"What Robert Kraft and what they’re saying by denying Macklemore the opportunity to go out and perform with Ed Sheeran is that they are willing to collude," Kaepernick told Ben Meiselas during a MeidasTouch interview.
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Kaepernick → say → interview
"They are openly colluding."
asserted
They → collude → ?
Macklemore had been scheduled to open for Sheeran at Gillette Stadium, which is owned by Kraft’s company, as part of the singer’s "Loop Tour."
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which → schedule → Tour
However, Macklemore said Sheeran informed him that Kraft objected to his appearance and contacted other NFL stadium owners after the rapper used his performances at MetLife Stadium to say "Free Palestine," criticize Immigration and Customs Enforcement and perform his Gaza protest song "Hind’s Hall."
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rapper → say → song
Kraft confirmed that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium but disputed the suggestion that the decision was intended to silence advocacy for Palestinians.
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decision → confirm → Palestinians
He instead cited what he characterized as Macklemore’s history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery.
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he → cite → rhetoric
Tour promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently removed Macklemore from the remaining dates, saying multiple venues had indicated they would not host the concerts with him on the bill.
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they → remove → bill
Sheeran said the decision belonged to the promoter and maintained that he had attempted to facilitate a conversation between Macklemore and Kraft.
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he → say → Macklemore
Kaepernick argued that the episode demonstrated the willingness of powerful owners to coordinate when they believe their interests are threatened.
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interests → argue → owners
"They also want people to know that if you take an action that they don’t agree with, they will come for you," Kaepernick said.
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Kaepernick → want → you
"They will organize against you, which means that we collectively have to organize to be able to protect our interests as well.
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we → organize → interests
"When we filed the grievance, it was like, 'well, the owners wouldn’t do that.
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owners → file → that
Everybody just wants to win within the NFL,'" he added elsewhere in the interview.
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he → want → interview
They want to protect their interests.
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They → want → interests
They want to protect their power.
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They → want → power
They want to protect their money.
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They → want → money
Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017 and has not appeared in an NFL game since the end of the 2016 season.
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Kaepernick → opt → season
He filed a grievance later in 2017 accusing NFL owners of colluding to prevent teams from signing him in response to his protests against police brutality and racial injustice.
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He → file → brutality
The league denied that its teams conspired against Kaepernick.
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teams → deny → Kaepernick
The two sides reached a confidential settlement in 2019 without a ruling on the merits of his claim.
uncertain
sides → reach → claim
Kaepernick also used the MeidasTouch interview to revisit the NFL’s response to the player-led protest movement.
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Kaepernick → use → movement
He referenced a 2017 meeting at which Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula reportedly said the league needed a prominent Black spokesperson to help resolve the controversy surrounding the demonstrations.
uncertain
league → reference → demonstrations
Kaepernick claimed the NFL initially attempted to work through the Players Coalition before approaching him about leading its social-justice initiatives.
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NFL → claim → initiatives
He said he rejected the proposal and accused rapper Jay-Z of eventually stepping "into that role" through his partnership with the league.
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he → say → league
Kaepernick characterized Jay-Z as the "Black face" NFL owners sought to help "subvert the protests," arguing that the partnership redirected attention away from police killings, incarceration and resources for Black communities.
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partnership → characterize → communities
The NFL and Roc Nation announced their partnership in 2019, giving Jay-Z’s company a role in the league’s live-entertainment strategy and social-justice initiative.
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NFL → announce → strategy
At the time, Jay-Z said the country had moved beyond kneeling and should focus on actionable change.
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country → say → change
Macklemore, meanwhile, pledged to donate the $1 million he said he earned from Sheeran’s tour to six organizations supporting Palestinians and publicly invited Kraft to match the contribution.
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he → pledge → contribution
Kraft later said Sheeran had already privately asked him to contribute $2 million toward humanitarian relief.
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Sheeran → say → relief
The remaining supporting acts on Sheeran’s tour, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga, withdrew amid the controversy.
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acts → remain → controversy
Kaepernick said the fallout strengthened the parallel he sees between Macklemore’s experience and his departure from the NFL.
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he → say → NFL
"They want to protect their interests," Kaepernick said.
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Kaepernick → want → interests
"They want to protect their power.
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They → want → power
They want to protect their money."
asserted
They → want → money
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