Martin Luther King III Wants Fans to Boycott the NFL Until Colin Kaepernick Is Signed by a Team

Martin Luther King III believes that Colin Kaepernick could easily return to football — but thinks it will require some help from NFL fans.

The human rights activist and oldest living child of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., recently told TMZ Sports that Kaepernick could get back into the league “overnight” with the public’s help.

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The NFL star, 31, has been out of work for over 900 days, according to USA Today, since he left the 49ers in March 2017. He sparked controversy after starting the #TakeAKnee movement during an August 2016 preseason game, when he chose to kneel rather than stand during the national anthem in protest of racial injustices, including police brutality.

In 2018, Kaepernick filed a collusion grievance lawsuit against the NFL, which was settled out of court in February of this year, according to a statement from his attorneys.

“What would change it overnight is if the public decided to say ‘Okay were not going to watch,’ ” King III told TMZ Sports.

“But it’s a complicated situation, because what about the guys who are playing?” he added. “That’s their jobs, that’s their livelihood, they don’t need to have to stop playing, but by the same token, I would say the majority of them, agree or empathize.”

King III explained that although the “industry did blackball” Kaepernick, “there might be some owners that are empathetic,” sharing that he “had heard that a couple of owners might employ him.”

He added, “He certainly is one of the most talented quarterbacks even today, probably. There are times when you need a strategic quarterback who has a proven record, and certainly, Colin Kaepernick is one of those.”

Image zoom Justin Sullivan/Getty; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

The Inquisitr reported that already in the first two weeks of the 2019-2020 NFL season, the New York Jets have lost quarterback Sam Darnold to mono, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost Ben Roethlisberger to an elbow injury, and the New Orleans Saints are without Drew Brees, who is also injured.

Kaepernick shared in early August that he’s “still ready” to return, as he has been keeping up with his almost daily fitness routine for three years.