Colin Kaepernick held his workout and interview session for NFL teams on Saturday (November 16). ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith had some critical words for the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, claiming he “doesn’t want to play” and he’d rather “be a martyr” than be in the NFL.

“All of us believe that Colin Kaepernick would’ve showed out, and if he had showed out, I’m here to tell you, I believe he would’ve had a job inside of two weeks. But it didn’t happen because he didn’t show.”

The no-show reference is in reaction to Kaep moving his NFL workout from the Atlanta Falcons’ practice facility to a high school an hour away to avoid the NFL’s unusual liability waiver and for additional media to attend. Eric Reid, a longtime supporter and former teammate of Kaepernick’s, called out Smith, saying he was “tap dancing for the NFL.” 

This had the First Take co-host going on a multi-tweet tirade during which he indicated Reid was hypocritical because he still plays in the NFL.
“Maybe the enemy is YOU, your childish tendencies and your unwillingness to accept that you can’t run a damn thing but so much when your hand is out for someone else’s dime or product,” Smith wrote.

The feud would continue into Sunday as Reid responded to Smith’s tweetstorm.

“Malcolm X said, ‘If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.’ You embody this quote,” Reid tweeted. “You, Malcolm Jenkins, and Jay-Z prance around doing the NFL’s bidding to try 2 burry Colin. I stand 4 truth & justice above all else. You r mistaken by thinking that because u or anybody is black that you are spared from my criticism especially when you’ve been so blatantly on the NFL’s side in corrupting their own process to hinder Colin’s employment.”

It wouldn’t end there. 

Smith subsequently criticized Reid for tweeting hours before taking the field and said he went through the same process Kaepernick is supposed to go through.

“I still respect the hell out of your immature, belligerent self. But I’m going to call it like I see it. Kaepernick made a mistake the way he handled all this…….IF he really wants a job in the NFL. Period,” Smith wrote. “And your contribution to all of this doesn’t help. It hurts. It ain’t about you being wrong. It’s about you needing to grow the hell up. Your decision. Your life. Do you!”

While many were reportedly impressed by Colin Kaepernick’s workout, he still remains without an NFL team. We’ll see in the coming days whether he gets a phone call.