Stephen A. Smith criticizes Colin Kaepernick for skipping league-organized 2019 workout

Stephen A. Smith stated this week that Colin Kaepernick holds personal responsibility for his departure from the NFL. While acknowledging that Kaepernick possessed the talent to remain in the league, Smith noted that the quarterback's decision to forgo a 2019 workout organized by the NFL, Jay-Z, and Roc Nation effectively ended his professional opportunities. The workout, which took place at a high school after a change in venue, occurred while Kaepernick was already a free agent. Kaepernick, who is now 38, continues to maintain that he was blackballed by the league for his 2016 protests during the national anthem. Smith clarified that while individual owners may have declined to sign him, the athlete's failure to participate in the league-sanctioned evaluation was the deciding factor in his career trajectory. Kaepernick is scheduled to release a memoir titled The Perilous Fight later this month.

• 9:30 PMYahoo Sports — Stephen A. Smith doesn’t blame NFL teams for not signing Colin Kaepernick