Kaepernick files grievance against NFL, citing collusion

Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL, accusing the 32 owners of collusion, his legal team announced on Sunday.

Kaepernick has remained unemployed through the first six weeks of the NFL season, even when injuries to other quarterbacks created job openings. He retained attorney Mark Geragos to represent him.


"We can confirm that this morning we filed a grievance under the CBA on behalf of Colin Kaepernick," Geragos said in a statement, in reference to the collective bargaining agreement. "This was done only after pursuing every possible avenue with all NFL teams and their executives.

"If the NFL (as well as all professional sports leagues) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful political protests -- which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago -- should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government. Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation. Protecting all athletes from such collusive conduct is what compelled Mr. Kaepernick to file his grievance.

"Colin Kaepernick's goal has always been, and remains, to simply be treated fairly by the league he performed at the highest level for and to return to the football playing field."

The 29-year-old Kaepernick said his agent reached out to all 32 teams to make sure they were aware of his interest in playing this season. He opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason.

Kaepernick has been a controversial figure since he first sat and then knelt during the national anthem before games with the 49ers in the 2016 season. The move was the beginning of what turned into league-wide protests earlier this season after U.S. President Donald Trump made critical comments of players who don't stand for the national anthem.

Kaepernick and his legal team are claiming the owners violated terms of the collective bargaining agreement, specifically a clause that prohibits teams from acting together in regards to a player's employments status.

"No Club, its employees or agents shall enter into any agreement, express or implied, with the NFL or any other Club, its employees or agents to restrict or limit individual Club decision-making," the CBA states, adding that the clause applies to "whether to negotiate or not to negotiate with any player" and "whether to offer or not to offer a Player Contract to any player."

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has stated on multiple occasions this season that Kaepernick is not being blackballed.

The Players Association said it will back Kaepernick in his fight against the NFL and is in the process of scheduling a conference call with his advisors for early this week.

"Our union has a duty to assist Mr. Kaepernick as we do all players and we will support him," the NFLPA said in a statement. "The NFLPA has been in regular contact with Mr. Kaepernick's representatives for the past year about his options and our union agreed to follow the direction of his advisors throughout that time."

Among the teams who lost a starting quarterback this season were the Miami Dolphins. In that instance, Miami lured Jay Cutler out of retirement to be its signal-caller, citing a relationship Dolphins head coach Adam Gase and Cutler developed when both were with the Chicago Bears.

The Baltimore Ravens considered Kaepernick when Joe Flacco sustained a training camp injury but ultimately passed on signing him.

The Tennessee Titans needed a quarterback earlier this month when Marcus Mariota was injured. They opted for journeyman Brandon Weeden.

The Green Bay Packers could be in the market this week after losing Aaron Rodgers to a broken collarbone on Sunday.

Kaepernick passed for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while fumbling a career-worst seven times with the 49ers last season. He also ran for 468 yards and two touchdowns.

In six NFL seasons, Kaepernick has passed for 12,271 yards with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions, adding another 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Kaepernick, who guided the 49ers to the Super Bowl following the 2012 season, has indicated he would stand for the national anthem this season.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Steelers surge past Ravens in battle for AFC North

LOS ANGELES -- The Pittsburgh Steelers exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter on Sunday to beat the Baltimore Ravens 31-27 in a Christmas battle for the NFL's AFC North division crown.

Ben Roethlisberger connected on a four-yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown with nine seconds remaining as the Steelers overcame a 10-point deficit in the final period.

The Steelers beat their bitter division rivals for the first time in five games to eliminate the Ravens from playoff contention and win their 22nd division crown since 1970.

"We punched our ticket, and that's an awesome thing," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of securing a playoff berth.

Pittsburgh looked to be on their way after two Le'Veon Bell touchdowns in about four minutes in the fourth quarter helped them overcome a 20-10 Baltimore lead and take a 24-20 edge.

But Baltimore surged back as quarterback Joe Flacco mounted a 75-yard, go-ahead touchdown drive capped by Kyle Juszcyk's 10-yard scoring run up the middle.

However, Roethlisberger had just enough time to fashion a game-saving 75-yard drive, capped by Brown reaching with an arm to get the ball across the goal line.

Pittsburgh won their sixth in a row after dropping four straight. Baltimore's defeat also assured Kansas City of a playoff berth, shortly before the Chiefs took the field against the reigning Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos -- who needed a win to keep their slim post-season hopes alive.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Flacco confident of new deal after Super Bowl triumph

NEW ORLEANS - Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Joe Flacco heads into new contract negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens in the strongest position of all - as a Super Bowl winner.

Flacco has just completed the last of his five-year rookie deal with the Ravens but, after leading his team to victory over the San Francisco 49ers, says he expects a new deal to be reached.

"I'm pretty optimistic but who knows? There are all kinds of crazy things that can happen with these contracts that we have all seen before but this is a great organization," he told a news conference on Monday.

"I love being in Baltimore, a great city, so I don't really anticipate any problems."

Under National Football League rules, if a new long-term deal is not struck with the quarterback, the Ravens could secure Flacco for an additional year by placing a franchise tag on him. That is reported to be around $14.6 million for the season or around $20 million for an "exclusive" tag which would stop teams from bidding for his services.

But Flacco's outstanding post-season form makes it hard to imagine the Ravens ownership would not come up with a long term contract and probably one which would make him among the best paid in the league.

Flacco passed for 1,140 yards and 11 touchdown in the four playoff games without an interception and also equaled the league record of 11 touchdowns in a single post-season, held jointly by Joe Montana and Kurt Warner.

After Sunday's game, in which he completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, the mild-mannered Flacco joked that he would be aggressive with Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti.

"He did let me know that if this day came, I could go beat on his desk and really put it to him. So that's exactly what I'm going to do," Flacco said amid the post-game celebrations.

On Monday, he said he did not expect to be banging on the desk.

"We had some really good talks over the last few months and it is just nice to go in and have conversations with him, whatever they may be. I was just kind of making a little joke," he said.

Certainly Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is expecting to see his quarterback back in a purple and white uniform next season and fired up for more success.

"He'll be going to work just like if we had lost this game. He'll be just as motivated and determined. That's one of the things that makes him great," said Harbaugh.

The Ravens coach also hopes that veteran safety Ed Reed will reach agreement on a new deal. The 34-year-old is currently heading into free agency.

"We had that conversation on the bus ride away from the stadium actually," Harbaugh said. "He and I both agreed that we want him back and Ed wants to come back. Like Joe says, you never know how these things are going to work out but we are going to work like crazy to work it out."

(Reporting By Simon Evans, Editing by Gene Cherry)

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Flacco wins Super Bowl MVP to join game's elite

NEW ORLEANS - Joe Flacco joined the National Football League's (NFL) elite with a masterful Super Bowl performance on Sunday, leading his Baltimore Ravens to a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The 28-year-old quarterback threw three touchdown passes, all in the first half, without any interceptions, en route to capturing the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the NFL's title game.

Flacco completed 22 of 33 passes and threw for 287 yards, but the statistics and the MVP award were perhaps the least of his achievements. More significantly for Flacco, it elevated him to a rarified level where he has long believed he belonged but never quite got there.

"It hasn't sunk in yet, it's crazy, unbelievable," he said. "It's tough to put into words.

"They have to give it to one guy and I'm not going to complain that I got it."

Despite leading the Ravens in each of his five seasons in the NFL, Flacco has remained an underrated and understated playmaker, but no more.

He had said before the playoffs he was among the best quarterbacks in the game and kept true to his word with his flawless showing in the postseason.

During the playoffs, he threw for 11 touchdowns, matching the record set by Hall of Famer Joe Montana (1989) and Kurt Warner (2008) for the most by any player in a single postseason. Flacco also did not throw a single interception.

"It's pretty cool. Joe Montana has been my favorite quarterback so to be out anywhere next to him is pretty cool," Flacco said.

'Great concentration'

Standing 6ft 6in (1.98 meters) tall and possessing a powerful right arm that allows him to hurl the ball like a missile, Flacco has all the perfect physical attributes.

He made a great start on Sunday, orchestrating a six-play, 51-yard drive on his team's first possession that culminated with a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Anquan Boldin.

In the second quarter, he threw a one-yard scoring pass to tight end Dennis Pitta, then a spectacular 56-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Jacoby Jones.

"That was unbelievable. It was third and 19 and so it was the perfect time to run that little pump," Flacco said. I had to step up and throw the ball on the run and Jacoby had great concentration.

"I didn't want to overthrow him there. He just did a great job coming down with that football and getting in the end zone."

Timing is everything for an elite quarterback, and Flacco could not have timed his MVP-winning performance any better as his initial five-year-deal is about to expire.

As a pending free agent, Flacco's value has suddenly shot up, and he plans to make sure Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti makes good on a promise.

"We just won a Super Bowl so that's the last thing (contract negotiations) I'm concerned about but he did let me know that if the day came, I could go beat on his desk and really put it to him," Flacco said. "So that's exactly what I'm gong to do." (Editing by Frank Pingue)

source: abs-cbnnews.com