Sunday, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported, on television, that Colin Kaepernick told him that if another NFL team picks him up, he plans on standing for the national anthem.
La Canfora says that he spoke with NFL free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick ‘off-camera’ on Saturday night and Kaepernick provided an update on his free agency status.
However, as many media outlets across the nation sent out the story to tens of millions of people, Kaepernick took to Twitter to deny that he said he would stand for the anthem.
Here is the clip of La Canfora clearly reporting on television that Kaepernick would stand for the national anthem:
La Canfora raced to Twitter to try to walk back the reporting however the fake news had already spread across the entire nation.
Kaepernick also raced to Twitter to make clear he didn’t say that by retweeting prominent Black Lives Matter leader Deray McKesson and others and incorrectly attributing a quote to Churchill, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”
Colin Kapernick retweet (Twitter)
Kaepernick retweeted Deray McKesson, the most visible Black Lives Matter leader in the nation.
Colin Kapernick retweet (Twitter)
He also retweeted a non-profit organization that he funds.
Colin Kapernick retweet (Twitter)
He retweeted Deray McKesson previously.
Colin Kapernick retweet (Twitter)
Here Kaepernick gets his point across about the misreporting.
Colin Kapernick tweet (Twitter)
La Canfora tried to walk back his television reporting and said on Twitter, “Wanted to clarify one thing regarding @Kaepernick7. When I was asked about his whether or not he would sit or stand for anthem…”
CBS Sports reporter Jason La Canfora tweet (Twitter)
“Standing for Anthem wasn’t something that I spoke to Clin about sat. I relayed what had been reported about him standing in the future…”
CBS Sports reporter Jason La Canfora tweet (Twitter)
“Reports about @Kaepernick7 standing for anthem had not been refuted. However, I can’t say if they are true or not. Colin and I didn’t discuss.”
CBS Sports reporter Jason La Canfora tweet (Twitter)
“Colin would have to address any future demonstrations. I didn’t ask him if he would sit or stand. Our chat was primarily about his will to play”
CBS Sports reporter Jason La Canfora tweet (Twitter)
“I know @Kaepernick7 is fully committed to playing football and helping those in need. What he would do during the Anthem I do not know.”
CBS Sports reporter Jason La Canfora tweet (Twitter)
La Canfora also said during the television broadcast that, “My primary takeaway is that his sole focus right now is on being a quarterback.”
He continued, “His life’s work, as much as it has been in the community, is also being done in darkness in remote fields in New Jersey throwing hundreds of passes a day. This man is getting up at 4 a.m. He’s getting in an Uber in New York City. He’s found a spot in New Jersey where he can work out doing on-field work there for several hours.”
La Canfora claims that Kaepernick told him hat he reached out to the Tennessee Titans after their quarterback Marcus Mariota suffered an injury in week 4 of the NFL season. They did not move forward with any discussions with Kaepernick.
La Canfora also said that Kaepernick told him that he’s willing to travel anywhere to work out for an NFL team.
Kaepernick is still a free agent since he opted out of his contract in March with the San Francisco 49ers.
