Jay-Z is 'unhappy' with the way Colin Kaepernick 'turned a legitimate workout into a publicity stunt' after he moved his practice 60 miles away to make it open to the media - as the NFL calls him a no-show

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Jay-Z is reportedly displeased with how free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick handled his workout before NFL scouts this weekend, after the rapper pulled strings to organize the special practice to help him get back in the game.  

Only eight NFL teams out of the 25 slated to watch Kaepernick's workout showed up as the 32-year-old switched venues at the last minute after the NFL refused to open the practice to media. 

Instead of abiding by the NFL's restrictions, Kaepernick decided to forego the NFL hosted practice at Atlanta Falcons' facility in Flowery Branch and organized his own at Charles R. Drew High School in Riverdale, about 60 miles away, and welcomed all NFL representatives and press in the name of 'transparency'. 

A source says that the New York rapper was disappointed with Kaepernick actions and how he 'turned a legitimate workout into a publicity stunt', according to Complex.  

Jay- Z believed the NFL was genuine in wanting to give Kaepernick an opportunity to showcase his skills and be scouted back into the league, according to a TMZ source. 

Jay-Z (right) is reportedly unhappy with the way Colin Kaepernick snubbed the NFL's workout and hosted his own after the league refused to allow media into the practice. The rapper reportedly pressured NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (left) into holding the workout for Kaepernick following his new partnership with the NFL 

A source says that the New York rapper was disappointed with Kaepernick actions and how he 'turned a legitimate workout into a publicity stunt' on Saturday

The 32-year-old athlete completed a 40-minute workout in front of representatives from eight NFL teams on Saturday where he challenged officials to 'stop running from the truth, to stop running from the people'. Only eight NFL teams out of the 25 slated to watch free-agent quarterback work out on Saturday showed up

Jay-Z helped put together the workout thanks to his new partnership with the NFL and has reported been 'pressuring'  NFL Commissioner Roger Goddell 'to do the right thing and have this workout for Colin Kaepernick,' a source told reporter Dan Patrick, according to the Big Lead.   

As a result of the abrupt venue change, only eight NFL teams out of the 25 slated to attend the workout showed up.

Still, representatives from the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans showed up for the 40-minute workout, according to ESPN.   

Kaepernick beamed at the practice where he greeted the estimated 250 fans that showed up to the venue and proved that he still has a competitive arm as he completed all but seven 60 throws to receivers on the field. 

Kaepernick greeted the estimated 250 fans that showed up to the venue, which was moved last minute from the Atlanta Falcons' facility in Flowery Branch to Charles R. Drew High School in Riverdale

Representatives from eight teams showed up to the workout hailing from the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills Washington Redskins, the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans. Scouts from the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets are seen here on the sideline

Scouts pictured on the field watching Kaepernick during his public workout on Saturday

'I've been ready for three years,' Kaepernick said. 'So we're waiting for the 32 owners, 32 teams, Roger Goodell, all of them stop running. Stop running from the truth. Stop running from the people'

After the practice Kaepernick spoke to reporters where he said he's still waiting for the 32 NFL teams to 'stop running'. 

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

A reporter for The Athletic who attended the workout quoted Kaepernick, who was speaking with the scouts, as saying: 'When you go back, tell your owners to stop being scared.' 

The most prominent person who attended Kaepernick's practice was Andrew Berry, the vice president of football operations for the Philadelphia Eagles.  

Saturday's workout is a critical shift in Kaepernick's career. The quarterback, who formerly played for the 49ers and helped bring the team to the Super Bowl, has remained a free agent for the past three years after he took a knee during the national anthem in a controversial protest of police brutality and social injustice.   

Kaepernick's workout session was announced on Tuesday, just over three months after Jay-Z was heavily criticized as being a 'sellout' for agreeing to partner with the NFL on a social justice campaign in August. 

Kaepernick is shown here during the workout held at an Atlanta area high school Saturday

Kaepernick had moved the workout from the Atlanta Falcons' facility to the high school 

Kaepernick is shown here smiling and stretching prior to the workout beginning Saturday

Kaepernick stopped to talk with fans and sign autographs after the workout ended

After the workout, Kaepernick briefly spoke with press, reiterating why he had made the decision to move the tryout to the high school, rather than hold it at the Atlanta Falcons' facility. 

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

Kaepernick had been scheduled to do his workout at the Atlanta Falcons' facility at 3pm Saturday, but moved it to an Atlanta-area high school about an hour away at the last minute, according to ESPN.

The NFL had previously declined to allow any media or cameras to the workout.  

The revised workout was scheduled to begin at 4pm local time and was open to all news media, Kaepernick's representatives said.

The former quarterback's reps said that not only had the NFL denied access to the media, but that league officials have also prevented him from filming the workout. 

‘From the outset, Mr. Kaepernick requested a legitimate process and from the outset the NFL league office has not provided one,’ according to a statement released by Kaepernick attorney Ben Meiselas and agent Jeff Nalley early Saturday.

‘Most recently, the NFL has demanded that as a precondition to the workout, Mr. Kaepernick sign an unusual liability waiver that addresses employment-related issues and rejected the standard liability waiver from physical injury proposed by Mr. Kaepernick's representatives.

‘Additionally, Mr. Kaepernick request all media be allowed into the workout to observe and film it and for an independent film crew to be there to ensure transparency.

‘The NFL denied this request.

‘Based on the prior conduct by the NFL league office, Mr. Kaepernick simply asks for a transparent and open process which is why a new location has been selected for today.' 

A source told TMZ, however, that Kaepernick had actually asked about what sort of media accessibility there would be when the workout talks started, implying that he didn't want media there in an attempt to avoid a circus-like atmosphere at the session. 

The source also said that media could have attended the workout at the Falcons' facility if he wanted them there, but that he never requested media attendance.  

After Kaepernick changed the location of the workout, the NFL released a statement saying that it was 'disappointed' that he had missed the workout it had arranged.  

It said that Kaepernick’s workout was going to be filmed by the Atlanta Falcons’ official video crew, which would make the footage available to all 32 teams.

‘The NFL made considerable effort to work cooperatively with Colin’s representatives,’ the league said in a statement.

‘We invited his agent to suggest questions for the interview.’

The NFL claims that it asked Kaepernick to sign a liability waiver that is standard form for all free agent players who try out for teams, but that Kaepernick’s representatives ‘sent a completely rewritten and insufficient waiver.’

The league also says it agreed to Kaepernick’s request to have his own receivers run drills. 

ESPN had previously reported that the NFL had informed Kaepernick that it would choose the receivers who would participate in the workout, but that Kaepernick's team said the league never disclosed who they would be. 

So Kaepernick decided that he would invite three former NFL receivers of his own choosing to participate in the workout. 

The NFL, however, put out a statement saying it was ‘disappointed’ that Kaepernick switched locations

The NFL statement also went on to say that it learned through Nike, the company which hired Kaepernick as a pitchman, that he wanted to have his own video crew at the workout.

The league claims that it planned to give Kaepernick and his representatives the footage shot by the video crew, including all of the raw footage of the workout.

The league also says it was surprised to learn of Kaepernick’s request to open the event to the news media.

‘We agreed to have Colin’s representatives on the field while the workout was being conducted and to allow them to see how it was being recorded,’ the league says.

‘We did so even though we have been clear from the beginning that this is a private workout.’

The league said that Kaepernick’s decision to move the workout ‘has no effect on his status in the league’ and that he ‘remains an unrestricted free agent eligible to sign with any club.’

Protesters and supporters stood outside the original workout venue, the Falcons facility in Flowery Branch. pm Saturday with signs. Some called the controversial quarterback an 'un-American loser' who should 'get out of my town' while supporters held signs that said 'I'm with Kap.'  

Kaepernick landed in Atlanta on Friday ahead of this weekend's workout in front of scouts from 25 NFL teams, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

A man carries an American flag while holding a sign which read 'Colin Kaepernick, un-American Loser, Get out of my town' in Flowery Branch, Georgia, on Saturday

Kaepernick was in Flowery Branch for a workout at the Atlanta Falcons' training facility. A Kaepernick supporter holds up a sign which read: 'I'm with Kap.'

A man who says he's from California holds up a sign thanking the Falcons 'for giving Kaepernick a second chance'

Several supporters of Kaepernick are seen above outside the Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch on Saturday

Tom Brady, whose New England Patriots was one of 24 teams that was set to attend Kaepernick's workout, said in a recent interview with Jim Gray on Westwood One, that it's 'pretty cool' that Kaepernick is getting a chance to showcase himself to the teams. 

'I think being a pro quarterback is very challenging in and of itself,' Brady said. 'To have time off is a challenge, but Colin’s overcome a lot of challenges in his career, and he’s always found a way to produce. 

'He’s very mentally tough, and I think it’s pretty cool that he’s getting that opportunity,' Brady added.   

Colin Kaepernick (pictured at Atlanta's airport) landed on Friday ahead of this weekend's workout in front of 24 NFL teams, including the New England Patriots

While some believe Kaepernick's workout is a PR stunt orchestrated by NFL officials, others are excited for the possibility to see the athlete back on the field, including Tom Brady, who said in a recent interview that it's 'pretty cool' that Kaepernick is getting this opportunity 

After Kaepernick's meeting was set, the league had also announced that two former NFL head coaches would be in attendance: Hue Jackson, who was set to lead the drills, and Joe Philbin.

The teams that RSVP'd were: the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins.

Throughout the week, Kaepernick's potential return to the NFL brought on mixed reviews. 

Dozens of Cowboys supporters responded to the reports by vowing to abandon the team if it signed Kaepernick.  

'I wont watch another cowboy game in my life if they pick that POS up,' one fan tweeted.   

'You can't call yourself America's team and then sign someone who kneels for the National Anthem,' a person who claims to have been a Cowboys fan since the 1970s wrote. 'If it happens, I will be a [Houston] Texans fan.' 

Throughout the week, Kaepernick's potential return to the NFL has brought on mixed reviews. In an interview with ESPN on Wednesday, Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid (pictured) said Kaepernick's last-minute workout 'feels like a PR stunt' orchestrated by NFL officials

Reid (left) was the first player to join Kaepernick's in taking a knee to protest extrajudicial killings of black people by police when the pair were teammates on the 49ers

Reid said: 'I'll believe it when I see it.' The NFL invited all 32 teams to attend the workout on Saturday - offering Kaepernick (center) the chance to return to the field for the first time since his kneeling protests against racial injustice roiled the sport three years ago

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett remained tight lipped on whether the invitation would be accepted during a press conference on Wednesday.

'I'm not really in-tuned to that situation very much,' Garrett said of Kaepernick. 'We have personnel people who evaluate all guys who have an opportunity to hopefully help our team.'

The Cowboy's current quarterback, Dak Prescott, is out of contract at the end of the season.  

While Kaepernick voiced his excitement over the opportunity, others expressed suspicion that the workout could be a PR stunt by league officials who shunned the quarterback after he kneeled during the National Anthem in 2016. 

Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid - Kaepernick's former 49ers teammate who was the first player to join him in taking a knee to protest extrajudicial killings of black people by police - said on Wednesday that 'it feels disingenuous' that the league would schedule the workout on a Saturday, as most teams play on Sunday.  

'I'll believe it when I see it,' Reid told ESPN. 'At this point, it feels like a PR stunt.'

The reason behind the sudden outreach from the NFL has not been confirmed;  however, many are questioning its timing and the league's lack of flexibility considering the date, believing that Kaepernick could be being set up for failure.

Firstly, Saturday tryouts conflict with the regular NFL scouting of college football games. 

And secondly, asking high-ranking NFL personnel to get on flights to and from Atlanta hours before Sunday's kickoff times would likely limit the number of attendees willing to make the trip.

After he was released from the 49ers in 2016, Kaepernick charged that teams would not sign him because they wanted to distance themselves from the protests, which President Donald Trump blasted as unpatriotic and disrespectful.

But at a press conference on Wednesday, Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores appeared optimistic that Kaepernick's abilities won’t have diminished in the last three years.

'Having that much time off you have to get back into the swing of things,' Flores told reporters. 

'But he was a very good player so we'll see what it looks like and do our due diligence and take it from there.' 

After he was released from the 49ers in 2016, Kaepernick (pictured in March) charged that teams would not sign him because they wanted to distance themselves from the protests, which President Donald Trump blasted as unpatriotic and disrespectful

Lions coach Matt Patricia also confirmed that the team would attend, telling TMZ: 'As an organization, we always do our due diligence on all players that are available... so I know [Bob Quinn] and his staff will have someone down there to watch the workout and we’ll see where that goes.' 

A source said the league's decision to invite all 32 teams to watch Kaepernick 'came out of the blue with no prior communication'. 

They added Kaepernick's team was given a two-hour window to accept the invitation and was denied a request to schedule the tryout on a Tuesday or another Saturday. 

In six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick appeared in 69 games and completed 59.8 per cent of his passes for 12,271 yards with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He added 13 rushing touchdowns.

He opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers after the 2016 season after his kneeling protests reached an unsavory crescendo.

Last month, Kaepernick's representatives released a two-page statement 'to address the false narratives' regarding his efforts to join an NFL team.

Among the details, the statement said no team has offered Kaepernick a job or brought him in for a workout since the 2016 season.  

It noted that the Seattle Seahawks brought Kaepernick in for a visit, but did not work him out, and that no other team has interviewed or visited with the quarterback 'despite other false statements in the media to the contrary'.

Kaepernick's representatives said their client had been working out five days a week for three years and has not demanded a specific salary.

They said at the time they had reached out to all 32 NFL organizations 'with little to no response from teams about an opportunity'.

Trump weighed in on the quarterback's likelihood of resuming his career.

'Frankly, I'd love to see Kaepernick come in — if he's good enough,' Trump said in August. 

'But I don't want to see him come in because somebody thinks it's a good PR move. If he's good enough, he will be in.' 

Kaepernick filed a collusion grievance against NFL owners in October 2017 after going unsigned as a free agent. 

The two sides resolved the grievance in February with the settlement thought to be in the region of $10million.