ESPN report sheds gentle on how Robert Kraft bought Jay-Z to associate with NFL amid Kaepernick fallout

Patriots

“The NFL is not choosing up on these social points,” Kraft reportedly advised Jay-Z. “We want your assist.”

Because the NFL’s rankings dipped within the aftermath of Colin Kaepernick’s determination to silently protest police brutality by kneeling in the course of the nationwide anthem, Robert Kraft and different homeowners felt that the league wanted assist from exterior the group, in keeping with a report from ESPN’s Seth Wickersham.

So, Kraft reached out to music mogul Jay-Z, telling the Brooklyn-born rapper: “The NFL isn’t choosing up on these social points. We want your assist.”

On the time, Jay-Z had made some pointed feedback directed at then-Houston Texans proprietor Bob McNair, who mentioned the NFL “can’t have the inmates operating the jail,” evaluating the gamers to prisoners.

“Injuring themselves on the sphere, giving all of it they bought,” Jay-Z mentioned in 2017. “That’s how they have a look at you. That’s what they consider you. We’ve bought a lot additional to go. The reality is all of us imagine in no matter you imagine in, inevitably, God, Allah, which suggests no matter you imagine in, we come from one supply. Which implies we’re all brothers and sisters on the finish of the day.”

By way of Kraft’s efforts, Jay-Z and his firm Roc Nation bought concerned with NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell, ultimately inking a 5 12 months, $25-million cope with the league aimed toward revamping the Tremendous Bowl halftime present and amplifying the NFL’s social justice agenda, amongst different issues, Wickersham wrote.

By 2019, Jay-Z had advised reporters, “I believe we’ve moved previous kneeling.”

Wickersham stories that prime league executives and a few homeowners suppose that the partnership between Roc Nation and the NFL has labored, citing $250 million raised for numerous social justice causes, together with improved Tremendous Bowl halftime exhibits and an improved league picture on race for the reason that top of the Kaepernick protests.

However, a number of extra high-profile officer-involved killings, together with the homicide of George Floyd have taken place since. Kaepernick successfully misplaced his profession, by no means enjoying one other recreation within the NFL.

One former NFL government mentioned that the NFL had ultimately turn into afraid of Roc Nation, saying that the partnership turned a “mess.” Sources advised Wickersham that Roc Nation that they believed Roc Nation “basically appointed itself because the league’s advertising arm.”

When stress arose between the edges in 2020, league commissioner Roger Goodell advised his employees to work issues out with Roc Nation as a substitute of backing them, Wickersham wrote.

Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez turned trusted not solely by Goodell, but additionally former Commanders proprietor Dan Snyder, Wickersham stories. NFL basic counsel mentioned he believed Perez and the regulation agency representing Snyder had been concerned in leaking the emails that ultimately bought then-Raiders coach Jon Gruden fired.

The headline of Wickersham’s piece reads: “‘He was free and clear’: How the leak of Jon Gruden’s e mail led to the autumn of Commanders proprietor Dan Snyder.”

Snyder was “all however compelled” to promote his franchise earlier this 12 months on account of allegations of sexual harassment, amongst different issues, Wickersham writes. Snyder, like Gruden, was the topic of leaks that compromised his place.

Wickersham particulars how the partnership between the NFL and Roc Nation that Kraft helped provoke has carried out some measurable good for social justice causes, and the league as a complete.

However he additionally writes that Perez, one of many key gamers within the partnership, is accused of serving to take down one of many league’s most outstanding coaches, which ultimately led to the sale of a franchise, although she denies the allegations.