Naomi Osaka slams NFL for Colin Kaepernick's ousting, demands he should get his job back

The world's highest-paid female athlete, Naomi Osaka, is demanding the NFL do the right thing and give Colin Kaepernick his job back. Naomi Osaka has been extremely vocal on social media, supporting the protests against the death of George Floyd in the United States.

"I’m vocal because I believe in the movement and want to try to use my platform to facilitate change," she told Reuters via email. "George Floyd’s murder and the situation generally in America has had a big impact on me. Being silent is never the answer. Everyone should have a voice in the matter and use it." 

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The death of George Floyd, an unarmed African-American, at the hands of a police officer, sparked a massive anti-racism movement in the United States. The protest slowly spiralled out of the US and has quickly turned into a global movement against racism. Naomi Osaka is among the several athletes who have spoken up about the issue and have also supported the ongoing protests.

Naomi Osaka slams NFL, says Colin Kaepernick should have his job back

Osaka is of the opinion that the NFL was wrong to oust Colin Kaepernick in 2017 for his protests during the national anthem. Amid the current turmoil in the country, Colin Kaepernick's message from 2016 is more relevant than ever. Osaka claims the NFL should offer the quarterback his job back. 

"Colin has been putting this message out since 2016. It took a pandemic, an economic crisis and a torturous murder on camera, all at the same time, for people to really hear him," Naomi Osaka added. "It shouldn't have been that way. If the NFL wants to show that they really care the first thing they should do is take a knee together and give Colin his job back."

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Naomi Osaka, who has Japanese and Haitian parents, was also ridiculed by some on social media for her comments regarding the recent protests. In response to her social media trolls, Osaka said, "That some people have said we as athletes should stick to sports is really insulting." While Osaka admitted it is hard to avoid trolls on Twitter and Instagram, she noted that she was much more relieved to see the Black Lives Matter movement in Japan. "There have even been BLM marches in Japan! That makes me so happy," she said.

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Is Kaepernick coming back to NFL?

Colin Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, which is when he received criticism for kneeling during the national anthem. Fast forward to 2020, and reports suggest several NFL players are planning to take a knee when the 2020 season starts; a nod to Kaepernick's movement and to show their support for the ongoing protests. Reports also indicate Kaepernick is determined to find a team before the season starts. The likes of Richard Sherman and Pete Caroll have hinted that there is interest among some NFL teams. 

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