Colin Kaepernick has accused National Football League owners of colluding against rapper Macklemore following his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour after making pro-Palestine remarks during a performance. Kaepernick, who became a prominent activist after kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality, says he recognizes similarities between his own experience and the circumstances surrounding Macklemore's departure from the lineup.
Macklemore had been scheduled to open for Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour across the United States. During a September 4 performance at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, he expressed solidarity with Palestinians, telling the crowd he wanted people in Gaza and "the occupied West Bank" to know "we have not forgotten about them" and declaring "free Palestine." According to reporting on the incident, Ed Sheeran's team removed Macklemore after "some difficult conversations this past week," with Sheeran stating the decision was made by tour promoters rather than by himself.
How did stadium owners influence the removal?
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, a longtime supporter of Israel, and several other owners of NFL stadiums where the tour was scheduled to visit indicated they would not permit Macklemore to perform at their venues. According to accounts of the situation, Macklemore stated that Kraft told Sheeran he would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium, and other stadium owners then issued an ultimatum. The tour promoter indicated that the venues warned allowing Macklemore on the lineup could have resulted in cancellation of the tour and affected "hundreds of thousands of fans." The September 25 and 26 concerts at Gillette Stadium became the focal point of the dispute.
Kraft justified his position by citing Macklemore's "recent actions" and what he described as "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community."
What did Kaepernick say about collusion?
Kaepernick drew a direct connection between Macklemore's situation and his own experience of being effectively blacklisted from the NFL. Speaking on the MeidasTouch podcast, Kaepernick stated:
The part that I hope people appreciate and take away in this moment is what Robert Kraft and what they're saying by denying Macklemore the opportunity to go out and perform with Ed Sheeran is they are willing to collude. The NFL owners are openly colluding.
Kaepernick argued that the actions demonstrated a pattern of owners using their power to silence dissent. He elaborated:
When we filed the grievance, it was like, well, the owners wouldn't do that. Everybody just wants to win within the rules. And the realization is, no. They want to protect their interests. They want to protect their power. They want to protect their money. And they also want people to know that if you take an action that they don't agree with, they will come for you.
The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback warned that others could face similar treatment in the future, saying:
It may not touch you today, at some point it's going to come knocking on your doorstep or someone you love's doorstep and that's not the moment to be able to take action. We should be taking action actively right now.
What happened to Kaepernick's own NFL career?
During the 2016 NFL season, Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police violence and systemic injustice. Despite being in his prime as a quarterback, no NFL team signed him after he departed the 49ers at the end of that season, and he has not played in the league since. In 2017, he filed a grievance against the NFL alleging collusion among owners to keep him out of the league. According to the NFL Players Association, Kaepernick settled the case in 2019, though the terms of the agreement remained undisclosed.
What happened to the tour support acts?
All four remaining support acts on Sheeran's U.S. tour withdrew in protest following Macklemore's removal. The departing performers included Finneas, who had been scheduled to open shows alongside Macklemore and other acts. Their collective withdrawal underscored the controversy surrounding the decision to remove Macklemore from the lineup.
What other athletes have faced similar situations?
The Macklemore dispute occurred amid broader conversations about athlete activism and political speech. NBA star Kyrie Irving announced on the same day as Kaepernick's comments that he would pay an $11,492 fine the league imposed on Cleveland Cavaliers player Azeez Al-Shair after he displayed the name of a Palestinian girl killed during conflict in the region. Al-Shair had used a face marking that violated league rules to make his statement.
What happens next?
Ed Sheeran's remaining U.S. tour dates continued without Macklemore following his removal from the lineup. The September 25 and 26 concerts at Gillette Stadium proceeded as scheduled, marking the completion of the dates most directly affected by the dispute.
