49ers safety Eric Reid called Tuesday’s meeting with NFL owners productive, but it hasn’t changed his stance on the national anthem.
“It doesn’t change our plans [to kneel] just yet,” Reid said, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s a great starting point. Nothing is set in stone yet. So nothing is going to change on my part moving forward. Until we get a more concrete plan to where I feel like I don’t need to protest anymore because the NFL is providing a better platform.”
The initial meeting was short on specifics, but the sides will hold a second meeting within the next two weeks.
“The NFL has agreed to commit to a long-term plan and use their platform to continue to raise awareness around the issues that affect our country,” Reid said, “and to help us feel like we don’t need to protest, so we feel like we’re [going in] the right direction.”
Reid met with Colin Kaepernick in New York on Monday night. Although Kaepernick, who has filed a grievance against NFL owners, wasn’t invited to the meeting, Reid said the former quarterback’s ideas were discussed.
“Colin is instrumental because he started the protest,” Reid said. “I think he has a special place in this. And so, hopefully, he does have a chance to go to the meetings in the future.”
President Donald Trump continued to tweet about the NFL and the national anthem issue Wednesday. His latest tweet reads: “Too much talk, not enough action. Stand for the National Anthem.”
“It’s starting to get to the point where I think the President might just be deflecting from his own issues,” Reid said. “Taking eyeballs off his own presidency. . . . I think that’s the most interesting thing that’s happened so far. I did not expect the President to talk this much about what we were doing.”