Colin Kaepernick Accuses NFL Owners of Collusion Over Macklemore's Tour Removal

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has accused New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and other NFL owners of "openly colluding" to remove rapper Macklemore from Ed Sheeran's U.S. tour following the artist's pro-Palestinian remarks. Kaepernick drew a direct comparison between Macklemore's situation and his own allegation that NFL owners conspired to keep him out of the league after he began protesting during the national anthem in 2016.

"What Robert Kraft and what they’re saying by denying Macklemore the opportunity to go out and perform with Ed Sheeran is that they are willing to collude," Kaepernick said in a MeidasTouch interview. "They are openly colluding."

Macklemore was scheduled to open for Sheeran at Gillette Stadium, owned by Kraft’s company, but the rapper stated that Sheeran informed him Kraft objected to his appearance. This objection reportedly followed Macklemore's public statements, including calls for a "Free Palestine" and criticism of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during performances. Macklemore also performed his song "Hind's Hall," which addresses the conflict.

Robert Kraft confirmed Macklemore would not perform at Gillette Stadium but disputed the idea that the decision was intended to silence advocacy. He cited what he characterized as Macklemore's history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery.

Messina Touring Group, the tour promoter, subsequently removed Macklemore from the remaining dates, citing venue objections. Ed Sheeran stated the decision was the promoter's and that he had attempted to mediate between Macklemore and Kraft.

Kaepernick argued that the incident demonstrates the willingness of powerful owners to coordinate when they perceive their interests to be threatened. "They also want people to know that if you take an action that they don’t agree with, they will come for you," Kaepernick said. "They will organize against you, which means that we collectively have to organize to be able to protect our interests as well."

He further elaborated, "When we filed the grievance, it was like, 'well, the owners wouldn’t do that. Everybody just wants to win within the NFL.' And the realization is, 'no. They want to protect their interests. They want to protect their power. They want to protect their money.'"

Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017 and has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season. He filed a grievance in 2017 accusing owners of collusion to prevent teams from signing him, in response to his protests against police brutality and racial injustice. The league denied these claims, and the two sides reached a confidential settlement in 2019.

Kaepernick also revisited the NFL's response to player protests, referencing a 2017 meeting where Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula reportedly suggested the league needed a prominent Black spokesperson. Kaepernick claimed the NFL initially approached the Players Coalition before him about leading social-justice initiatives. He said he rejected the proposal and accused rapper Jay-Z of eventually taking on that role through his partnership with the league.

Kaepernick characterized Jay-Z's partnership as an effort by owners to use a "Black face" to "subvert the protests," arguing it redirected focus from issues like police killings and resources for Black communities.

The NFL and Jay-Z's Roc Nation announced their partnership in 2019, involving live entertainment strategy and social justice initiatives. At the time, Jay-Z stated the focus should shift from kneeling to actionable change.

Macklemore pledged to donate $1 million, earned from Sheeran's tour, to Palestinian aid organizations and invited Kraft to match the donation. Kraft later stated that Sheeran had already privately asked him to contribute $2 million toward humanitarian relief.

The remaining supporting acts on Sheeran's tour also withdrew amid the controversy.

Kaepernick maintained that the recent events solidified the parallel he sees between Macklemore's experience and his own departure from the NFL.