Protests against social injustice has become the biggest sports story over the last two years, and it all started with the simple action of taking a knee by Colin Kaepernick.
Haters came for Kap from all over, including Trump. Yet one of the most random critiques came from former Papa John’s CEO, John Schnatter, who blasted declining NFL ratings and players kneeling for the company’s decline in sales.
Athletes vs Trump
“The NFL has hurt us,” said Schnatter. “We are disappointed the NFL and its leadership did not resolve this.”
For that, he was ousted as the company’s CEO (but remains the company’s Chairman) and the company was ridiculed mercilessly on social media. He tried to apologize but it was too late as the damage was done and people weren’t having it.
Over the last two months, the backlash surrounding his comments quietly receded and the situation appeared to have faded away; but like the Godfather, just when he thought he was out, John was dragged back in as he learned that he could be deposed in Colin Kaepernick’s lawsuit against the NFL in which he and his legal team are charging the league with collusion against the former 49ers’ QB after he started the kneeling movement against police brutality and racism.
According to CBS Sports, Kap’s legal team “aims to interview Schnatter about any role Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may have played in those comments; Jones repeatedly spoke out publicly against “protesting” players and owns over 100 hundred Papa John’s stores and is known to have a close relationship with Schnatter.”
Jones walked out arm-in-arm with his players in one game and then quickly fell back and threatened to not play any Cowboys’ player who “disrespected” the flag, which everyone with common sense understands is not the purpose of taking a knee.
These actions have led Kap’s legal team to review possible ties between NFL owners and Trump which could have contributed to Kap’s obvious blackballing by the League. We will keep you updated as this situation develops.
