Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid reached a settlement with the NFL in their collusion case last week, leading to speculation of big numbers. However, speculation that the settlement amount landed in the range of $60-$80M is incorrect, according to a source with knowledge of the situation who spoke with Mike Florio of PFT. 
[RELATED: Kaepernick Lawyer Predicts A Team Will Sign QB Soon]
There are other indications that Kaep and Reid did not land a colossal settlement. For example, the payments by the league to the duo did not require the approval of team owners. Instead, the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee approved the settlement, without a vote of the member clubs, which suggests that it was not a monumental figure.
Also, multiple people connected to the league have downplayed the settlement as an amount that will cover anticipated legal expenses, which suggests a number in the seven figures, rather than eight figures. It also appears the settlement did not “buy out” Kaepernick professional football employment – that settlement amount would have been astronomical, but it’s likely a smaller sum since Kaepernick will still have the opportunity to earn an NFL paycheck, should he be given the opportunity.
The AAF expressed interest in Kaepernick (and Tim Tebow), but negotiations came to a halt when the QB reportedly asked for a $20MM salary. Reid, meanwhile, is set thanks to his recent three-year, $22MM+ extension with the Panthers.
Whomever thinks they got $50 million plus is smoking their breakfast, lunch, and dinner
This comment made my day. Thank you
50 million is chump change to the NFL and equals the revenue from about 10 SB commercials. The owners would be quiet happy to see the problem go away at that cost.
Why is that so hard to fathom? Godell is getting paid $50M/year so this isn’t ready that large of a sum
owners and the commish dodge the bullet on this. but kaep is going to play in nfl!
Which team do you suppose will want to take on a mediocre player with so much baggage? I wouldn’t be so sure that “Kaep is going to play in the NFL!”.
Isn’t that the definition of Jameis Winston?
I don’t like Kaep but he’s a way better person than Jameis could ever hope to be
You know them both?
That’s why he got his payoff so they don’t have to have him play
can you read? it’s in the article.
Hmmm so kaep and reid settles for even less… they must’ve had some real confidence in that collusion case of theirs!! Here’s to hoping Kaep never signs with another team…. and to hoping we no longer have to read posts about him
You don’t have to read posts about him. Apparently you chose to. Please don’t complain to the rest of is about your life choices. Next time you see his name at the top of the article keep scrolling, stop trolling.
Did I complain about my life choices? Or did i say I hope we don’t have to read anymore about Kaepernick on a PROFOOTBALLRUMORS page…. as he is not in pro football. And hasn’t been…. for years. Make sense? Good. Run along now.
Kwflanne….. I agree. Nice retort
You said you hope you don’t HAVE to read it. They replied that you don’t HAVE to, as you can just scroll past them instead of triggering yourself. You moved the goalposts to say you don’t want to SEE anything about Kaep on a pro football rumors site. jimbenwall was still right when he said you don’t HAVE to read them. And now you’re acting all high and mighty. Typical
You guys must be seriously bored if these are your replies…. are you dissecting whether I wrote READ in one post… then SEE in the other post? Dear god man… I’ll slow it down and be very specific so you can understand clearly: THERE SHOULD NO LONGER BE POSTS REGARDING KAEPERNICK ON THE PROFOOTBALLRUMORS SITE. “Kaepernick has still been working out”, “Kaepernick still interested in playing”, “Kaepernick reached out to by AAF”, “Kaepernick settles collusion case”, then another super important “lateral on Kaepernick” above, discussing the amount of the settlement. When Kaepernick is in professional football, write about him on a professional football page. Hell, if a team even calls him for a tryout, then write about it. To continue to post that Kaepernick is working out, that he has interest in still playing, that he settled collusion trial, the amount he settled for in a separate post etc etc etc…. is ridiculous. I hope that was easy enough for you to understand, but somehow, I doubt it. So I’ll use one sentence to make it even easier for you: “Stop giving pro football fans news about somebody who hasn’t played pro football in years.”
Easy enough for ya? Great. Carry on
This rant made my day. I jokingly made a funny reply. Thanks for taking these comments to heart. Very entertaining.
Nonsense, leaked by the NFL. Wait a day or so and we’ll hear the “real” number.
” It also appears the settlement did not “buy out” Kaepernick professional football employment – that settlement amount would have been astronomical.”
Rigggghhhhhttttt
so, you think the author of this article would put that just for fun?
If there wasn’t some evidence of collusion in discovery, there’s no way the NFL settles this. Coming from someone who litigates for a living, this isn’t the kind of case you throw a several million dollars nuisance money at. It’s so hard to prove if your Kap that it’s either in the evidence or it’s not, and if it’s not it’s not worth that kind of money to just make go away for the league. The cost of the litigation is not worth the hit on the NFL’s reputation to settle, and even if it was, if the settlement is small, the NFL would want to disclose terms. I have to believe the NFL knew it was in trouble here, but that Kap’s damages wouldn’t have been enormous (a couple years salary) so the league gave him the whole thing plus.
The NFL is a large corporate entity whose revenue hinges more on public perception than most. They weren’t dealing with a nuisance lawsuit from some unknown litigant. They were dealing with a high profile plaintiff who had the sympathy of many Americans.
This case had already cost them fans on both the pro and anti-Kaepernick sides and it’s continuation could only cost them more. A trial could make them look like a villain and winning it could piss off many fans. The NFL wouldn’t want any of their owners under oath answering questions that could negatively impact the league.
Any trial would still allow Kaepernick and Reid to badmouth the league and the NFL is far better off with these guys on their side than against them. I assume the settlement doesn’t allow either to say anything negative about the NFL. Maybe the NFL was in trouble but it was likely small.
On the other hand, Kaepernick has little to gain by settling for a few million. Was that really his goal or was it to show the NFL was against him and blackballed him for speaking his mind? I have to think it was the latter.
Not worth the hassle for the NFL when they have a case going on like the concussions that will be well over a billion. You settle on a case like this and divide it up amongst the teams at $1-2 million each and its peanuts.
The danger to the NFL wasn’t the damages to Kap, it was the potential termination of the CBA if collusion was found, which is apparently in the CBA. Any collusion at all terminates the CBA apparently, which would mean there is no small trouble for the NFL, it’s either zero or catastrophic. I agree with some of what you say, if the settlement was insignificant, however, the NFL would likely want those terms out there to show that the settlement was largely nuisance money. Also, despite this article, there are still a lot of reports coming out that say this number is near $80 million. A vote would be unnecessary at this point if counsel had been authorized to settle up to a certain amount, or if a representative had been designated to represent the owners.
They’re is no way in hell you “litigate for a living” if you don’t understand why companies routinely settle cases even though the company is in the right.
Congrats at taking a criminal justice course at community college though man
Yeah I have a law degree from University of Florida. And I do understand why they do. It doesn’t make sense why the NFL would here, and the reputational harm to settling wouldn’t be worth it if there wasn’t some evidence of collusion. The damages against Kapernick aren’t that heavy, it’s the termination of the CBA that’s in risk. If there’s nothing there, it wouldn’t cost as much to litigate the case and versus the reputations hit of settling.
There’s no reputation hit for settling because any settlement is going to include a clause where Kaepernick can’t criticize the league. This embarrassing issue is gone. If they beat Kaepernick in court he can still say terrible things about them and people will listen. Kaepernick is sympathetic to a lot of fans who could be angry if you beat him in court. This is the smartest move.
If there’s no evidence of collusion, Kap can’t survive summary judgement, so it’s a clear cut victory for the NFL. Even amongst his supporters, the NFL wouldn’t take a worse hit than they already have. In fact, it’d be hard to believe he survived a 12(b)6. There is a reputation hit for the NFL because they’ve settled, and that’ll appear to some there is wrongdoing they don’t want to come to light. And my guess is he’s just on an NDA for things related to this lawsuit, I really haven’t seen a “can’t criticize” clause in a a settlement agreement before. My guess is he still wants a job and wants to start over, and won’t criticize them because of that. You seem like a smart dude, but I have to completely disagree with you here. NFL fights this out and they’re clean, the whole racist, collusion, conservative rich white man image they have from some takes a huge hit. Worth fighting if you’re the NFL and you’re clean.
Do you know how to tell when a lawyer is lying? When his mouth is open!
From UF law school? LoL! Ok, now we get some of your posts!
Heyyyy bro, top 50. Elite school
I know dude! Just messin with ya cuz you’re a lawyer! LoL
You know your stuff
It makes too much sense to me to be believed by the haters.
I still don’t see any team that will give that guy a shot….the backlash isn’t worth a backup qb.
I can see someone giving him a shot, but it’ll be at or near league minimum, but I don’t see him signing for anything less than $10M and continuing his tantrum. He’s been out of football for years and wasn’t very good at the end.
16 TD’s to 4 INT’s. 8 to 1 against playoff teams. 4 to 0 against the Super Bowl teams. 3 to 0 against two of the top three defenses (in points).
Its Carolina or nothing.
So will there be another collusion lawsuit after no one signs him this second time around lol?
He’s the ronda rousey of the nfl. As soon as his gimmick was exposed the opposition destroyed him, and he never had any intention of “stepping back into that ring”
See the numbers for his 2016 season that I already posted.
Probably not. Collusion isn’t the result of him not getting a job, it’s the actual attempt/communication by the owners that would be collusion. Meaning he could have an offer from all 32 teams and still be collusion, if there are statements between the owners suggesting that they don’t or shouldn’t employ him or pay him a certain amount, that’s the collusion. Collusion isn’t the result, it’s the attempt.
And therefore, the owners aren’t stupid enough to do it again.
That’s a VERY optimistic sentiment.
Who really cares
kaep voided his 126M contract with the 9ers and sued the league
Exactly, but you’ll hear how they were going to cut him anyway…we’ll then let them cut him, he’d have a better case. Instead he should sue the agent/advisor that restructured the previous contract to make that one what it was.
Wow! The AAF refused to pay him $20mil a year? Time to sue!
The aaf is oppressing him lol
I know this is a joke but it funny he think he can get 20 mill from a start up. I know getting him would of been a big deal and probably bring in fans. But he just a cry baby that think he worth more than he is
The AAF players are making $250,000 EACH per year! This douche thinks he’s worth $20 million? LoL
Kaep is a Super Bowl quarterback and doesn’t want to play in a bush league, he wants to play in the NFL. He’d be willing to consider AAF for very big money as a quick transition. The dollar figure was to avoid saying no to playing at all in the AAF.
Kaep will be back in the NFL next year and I can think of no better place than Washington DC and the Redskins who desperately need an Alex Smith level quarterback for backup money.
He was a super bowl losing QB years ago. So what? That does not make him an NFL QB today
I’m still confused which part of his family heritage he felt was being oppressed? His white or his African American parent? Or was it the fact he was a horrible QB who opted out of his own contract and refused to sign as a backup anywhere?