Kaepernick's attorney: Collusion was NFL owners 'kowtowing' to Trump

Colin Kaepernick's lawyer appeared on NBC's "Today" on Thursday and said President Donald Trump's comments about protests during the national anthem are the reason his client has gone unsigned since the end of the 2016 season.

"The collusion actually was the NFL kowtowing to the president - I think it's clear," attorney Mark Geragos said, according to Erik Ortiz of NBCNews.com.

Geragos said it's clear Kaepernick isn't being given the same opportunity as other available quarterbacks despite remaining in "spectacular shape."

"There isn't anyone who has a couple of neurons firing that wouldn't say this isn't collusive activity," he added.

Kaepernick first kneeled during a preseason game in 2016 as a protest against racial injustice and police brutality in the United States. The movement spread across the league and soon resulted in many others taking a knee before their respective games.

Trump said in September 2017 that those who kneeled during the anthem were disrespecting U.S. service members and should be "fired" by their team's owner.

An arbitrator appointed by the league and players' union to Kaepernick's collusion complaint decided last summer that the case should proceed to a hearing.

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