We may finally get a glimpse of John Schnatter in something other than a bright red shirt.
The former CEO of Papa John’s, who stepped down late last year due in part (we’re told) to his misguided effort to blame reduced earnings on the NFL, will be getting a ticket to the Colin Kaepernick Collusion Party. Kaepernick’s lawyers want to take the deposition of Schnatter, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
Some believe that Schnatter publicly chastised the NFL at the urging of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who disagreed with the league office’s handling of player protests during the national anthem (and who was trying to block Commissioner Roger Goodell’s contract extension). Jones has an ownership interest in more than 100 Papa John’s stores.
Although some within the NFL may actually be intrigued by what Schnatter would say about the situation under oath, there’s a fundamental problem for both Kaepernick and the league: The arbitrator who will resolve the grievance has no jurisdiction over Schnatter.
He can’t be forced to testify, and there’s no reason why he would want to testify -- unless he’s bitter about what happened and now wants to create trouble for the NFL. (If that’s the case, Kaepernick’s lawyers shouldn’t be taking his deposition prior to the grievance; they should be preparing him to show up and testify as part of Kaepernick’s case-in-chief.)
Thus, fascinating as it may be to hear the pizza man get grilled about his effort to cook the NFL’s goose, chances are that the grievance will proceed without Schnatter’s testimony being one of the better ingredients.