When San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick became the first NFL player to be penalized and then fined for using "inappropriate language," it was pretty clear that, given the NFL's instructions for referees to crack down on the use of racial and homophobic slurs, he had said something that was deemed by referees to be beyond the pale of normal shit-talking. Now, it's pretty clear that he used some variant of the word "nigger."


Fox Sports' Jay Glazer was the first to report what Kaepernick said:


And now Bears defensive end Lamarr Houston, with whom Kaepernick was jawing when he got his penalty, has corroborated Glazer's report. From the Chicago Tribune:

"He was just saying inappropriate language," Houston told the Tribune on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. He said Kaepernick cursed at him, including using the N-word. Asked if he was insulted, Houston said it's more a "cultural thing." Houston reiterated that he incensed Kaepernick on the play by saying "nice pass" at the end of a Kyle Fuller interception.

We've been over this, but this is a very stupid thing for the NFL to be doing.


[Tribune]