Colin Kaepernick’s collusion case against the NFL that alleges that the league and its owners colluded to keep him off the field is set to go to trial.
The New York Times reports, "The ruling by Stephen B. Burbank, an arbitrator who was appointed by the league and the N.F.L. Players Association, said lawyers for Kaepernick, a free-agent quarterback, had unearthed enough information in the past year for the case to proceed to a full hearing. After months of depositions and document searches, the lawyers will be able to question league officials, owners and others in a trial-like format."
“The N.F.L., which had moved for summary judgment to end the case, declined to comment,” writes The Times.
Kaepernick’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, shared the decision to deny the NFL’s request on Twitter.
The statement reads, "On August 28, 2018, the System Arbitrator denied the NFL’s request that he dismiss Colin Kaepernick’s complaint alleging that his inability to secure a player contract since becoming a free agent in March 2017 has been due to an agreement among team owners and the NFL that violates Article 17, Section 1 of the collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the [NFL Players Association] (union)."
Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, filed a grievance against the NFL in October 2017 alleging that the league’s owners conspired to not offer him a new contract because of his decision to kneel during the national anthem.
He has been a free agent since opting out of his contract with the 49ers in March 2017.
His legal team is expected to argue that President Trump's public criticism of Kaepernick and the NFL anthem protests played a part in the alleged collusion.