Colin Kaepernick holds own workout, urges NFL owners to 'stop running'

Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick had a 40-minute throwing session during his workout in front of representatives from eight NFL teams on Saturday.

After the completion of his workout, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback challenged league commissioner Roger Goodell and all team owners to "stop running."

"I've been ready for three years," Kaepernick told reporters. "I've been denied for three years. We all know why I came out here. [I] showed it [Saturday] in front of everybody. We have nothing to hide. So we're waiting for the 32 owners, 32 teams, Roger Goodell, all of them to stop running. Stop running from the truth. Stop running from the people.

"We're out here. We're ready to play. We're ready to go anywhere. My agent, Jeff Nalley, is ready to talk [to] any team. I'll interview with any team at any time. I've been ready."

The NFL initially informed teams Tuesday that it would hold a private workout for Kaepernick, who started kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial inequality. The league said 25 teams were expected to be in attendance for the workout.

The workout was scheduled for Saturday afternoon at the Atlanta Falcons' practice facility in Flowery Branch, Ga., but Kaepernick's representatives abruptly moved it about 60 miles away to Charles R. Drew High School in Riverdale.

The sudden change caused multiple NFL teams to miss Kaepernick's public workout at the high school. League sources told NFL Media the quarterback threw in front of eight clubs: the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and 49ers.

Kaepernick said his camp switched the venue to maintain "transparency." In a statement released shortly after he skipped the scheduled workout, the NFL said it was "disappointed that Colin did not appear for his workout."

"Our biggest thing with everything [Saturday] was making sure we had transparency with what went on," Kaepernick said. "We weren't getting that elsewhere, so we came out here."

Kaepernick, 32, threw passes to former NFL pass-catchers Brice Butler, Bruce Ellington, Jordan Veasy and Ari Wertz. League sources told NFL Media that Kaepernick looked in shape but his accuracy and touch were average.

Kaepernick, who helped guide the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012, completed all but seven of his 60 scripted throws.