Former NFL star Ray Lewis is causing headlines once again. This time Lewis appeared on Showtimes’ Inside the NFL discussing his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, decision not to sign quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
The show aired earlier this week, where Lewis claimed the Ravens were planning to sign Kaepernick until his girlfriend, Hot 97 DJ Nessa, tweeted a photo that compared Lewis to Samuel L. Jackson’s character in the film Django Unchained to Lewis.
Jackson’s character Stephen was a loyal house slave to his white owner.
Former NFL star Ray Lewis claims he knows the real reason why the Baltimore
???? @raylewis pic.twitter.com/N9k7nDgmDh
— NESSA (@nessnitty) August 3, 2017
Here’s a transcript of Lewis’ comments:
Judy Battista – “I’m startled that he has not been signed. I’ve been told ever since I’ve started covering the NFL that talent wins out. We’ve seen teams take chances on a lot of unsavory characters. The fact that this is what has tipped over and they can’t come to grips with signing a guy who has kneeled for the national anthem but you’ve sign guys that have enormous legal issues—and they’ve been embraced by teams and they’ve been embraced by fans—I find that curious.”
Ray Lewis – “When me and Steve Bisciotti were talking, this is what we were talking about, Judy. We were talking about giving this kid an opportunity to get back in the National Football League. Look, this is what I wanted to share with people. I have been fighting for this kid behind the table like nobody has… I’ve never been against Colin Kaepernick. But I am against the way he’s done it.“
Then, his girl [Colin Kaepernick’s girlfriend] goes out and put out this racist gesture and doesn’t know we are in the back office about to try to get this guy signed. Steve Bisciotti has said it himself, ‘How can you crucify Ray Lewis when Ray Lewis is the one calling for Colin Kaepernick?’…
“When they (Ravens) called me, it was to say, ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ … We were going to close the deal to sign him… Steve Bisciotti said, ‘I want to hear Colin Kaeperkick speak to let me know that he wants to play football.’… And it never happens because that picture comes up the next day. “
Judy Battista – “So, if not for that… tweet, you think he would be a Baltimore Raven”
Ray Lewis – “Then he’s flying him to Baltimore. I am sitting with all three of them and we are all having a conversation about bringing Colin Kaepernick in.“
The Ravens reportedly wanted to avoid a “distraction” by signing Kaepernick after starting qb when Joe Flacco suffered a back injury. Head coach John Harbaugh said Kaepernick was an option to replace him. However, shortly after that, word got out that while Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome were interested in pursuing Kaepernick, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti wasn’t interested.
