​Jay-Z’s latest freestyle at Yankee Stadium has rekindled discussions about Colin Kaepernick, the NFL, and the confidential settlement that ended Kaepernick’s collusion grievance. According to TMZ, people with direct knowledge of the situation pushed back on Jay-Z’s claim that Kaepernick signed a non-disparagement agreement with the NFL as part of his 2019 settlement. The outlet reported that Kaepernick did not agree to be silenced from criticizing the league. The moment unfolded during Jay-Z’s Friday night show at Yankee Stadium when the rapper used a freestyle to respond to critics and referenced the former quarterback’s settlement with the NFL.
Jay-Z’s ties to the NFL have been the subject of ongoing debate for years. In 2019, Roc Nation formed a partnership with the league to provide entertainment consultation, including guidance on Super Bowl halftime performances, and to contribute to the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative. That collaboration followed Jay-Z’s public support for Kaepernick. TMZ maintains that Kaepernick’s 2019 deal with the NFL bars neither side from disclosing the settlement’s terms, and sources close to the matter say the agreement did not contain a clause prohibiting Kaepernick from criticizing the NFL. TMZ’s reporting suggests that if Kaepernick had agreed not to disparage the league, he would have faced ongoing limitations on criticizing NFL teams for failing to sign him, which would have restrained his public commentary about the league.
Kaepernick and his teammate Eric Reid settled their collusion grievances against the NFL in February 2019. At that time, both the league and the players’ representatives stated that the matter had been resolved, and that the settlement included a confidentiality agreement. Kaepernick, who had alleged that NFL teams colluded to keep him out of the league due to his protest and activism, did not have the NFL admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, a point that has drawn scrutiny and interpretation in the years since.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season. He rose to national prominence after kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and systemic racial injustice, a stance that later led to accusations that NFL teams conspired to keep him from returning to the league. During the settlement period, Kaepernick’s attorney, Mark Geragos, criticized the deal, while Jay-Z argued that the next phase would involve moving from protest to actionable steps. The controversy surrounding Kaepernick’s status and the terms of the settlement continues to fuel conversations about the NFL’s treatment of players who use their platform to advocate for social justice, as well as the evolving role of entertainers and athletes in shaping public discourse on protest, solidarity, and corporate responsibility within professional sports.