Colin Kaepernick's visit with the Seattle Seahawks was postponed after he declined to stop kneeling during the national anthem, according to reports.
An NFL source told ESPN that the team wanted assurance that Kaepernick wouldn't kneel during the anthem and postponed the workout when he declined to give it. A final decision hasn't been made, and a future tryout is still possible, ESPN noted.
Kaepernick, who has been embroiled in controversy over his decision to kneel in protest of racial injustice, hasn't played since 2016. He filed a lawsuit alleging that the NFL has conspired to keep him out of the league.
"Seattle said it wouldn’t be worth his time and shouldn’t bother with the travel and that it’s not worth coming if he continued kneeling or doing on-field activism," a source told SB Nation. "He had to agree in advance if he wanted to go."
The Seattle Times reported that the decision wasn't solely related to Kaepernick's stance on kneeling, but that the team wanted a firmer plan about his activism and how it might impact football. The visit was postponed to allow time for coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider to discuss the situation, the newspaper said, adding that Carroll publicly supported Michael Bennett's decision to sit for the anthem last season.
Last month, the Seahawks released quarterback Trevone Boykin, who was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. They continue to search for a backup to starter QB Russell Wilson.
Twitter users weighed in on the controversy.