Stephen A. Smith Calls Eric Reid A Sellout Over Colin Kaepernick Argument

Stephen A. Smith is an opinionated man, and his hot takes on First Take usually gain some attention, but this one was different. Smith got into a heated exchange with Eric Reid on the whole Colin Kaepernick situation.

Smith reported Wednesday that his “sources” told him that two teams were interested in Kaepernick’s services and that 10 owners didn’t want Kaepernick in the league. Those two teams were free to bring Kaepernick in for individual workouts but declined to do so.

But when disagreements over the terms for Saturday’s hastily planned workout led to Kaepernick holding his own open-to-media event in Atlanta, Smith posted a three-minute video criticizing Kaepernick for how he handled the day. Smith claimed that Kaepernick had no interest in playing in the NFL, which wasn’t met kindly by Panthers safety Eric Reid.

.@stephenasmith Tap dancing for the NFL like ??. Damn straight Colin wants to control the narrative! He supposed to trust the organization that blackballed him and has done absolutely nothing in good faith??? Born on Tuesday, just not last Tuesday. https://t.co/EKztmcrDbu pic.twitter.com/gz0xnDe10e

— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) November 17, 2019

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The more you talk, the more ridiculous you sound, @e_reid35. Actually, it’s worse than I thought since you’re the one tweeting at me hours before a damn game. And speaking of the game, weren’t you in Atlanta in attendance for Kaepernick’s workout yesterday — before having to leave EARLY to play for a team in a league you’re feeling so oppressed by? Wasn’t that you? Just asking! Hold on! I have more! That same Malcolm X — who we all revere for life — you just brought up acknowledged there were slight errors in his thinking. You didn’t bring that up? You Eric Reid went through the same process Kap was suppose to be go through and you’re still playing on Sunday. But you didn’t bring that up! And unlike you, walking around and doing nothing but bitching at every turn, myself and many others in the media have religiously called out the NFL for blackballing Kap. We’ve religiously highlighted the unfairness of it all. And some of us have worked behind the scenes, trying to help Jay-Z and others in their quest to get Kap back in the league. Meanwhile, what is Eric Reid doing? Complaining like he wants to be on @firsttake. Failing to stop the run on Sundays. Talking S$&@ about the NFL at every turn…….but asking for that check, no doubt! Yet, I’m the one tap dancing. Why? Because I’m gainfully employed while trying to remind youngsters out her of the pitfalls that lie-in-wait. Meanwhile, someone like you continues to throw professionalism, decorum and decency into the wind — sending folks down a dead-end path — all because your boy isn’t getting precisely his way…..when NO ONE gets their way. So who’s the SELLOUT! Guess what, it’s neither of us. We just have a difference of opinion. I still respect the hell out of your immature, belligerent self. But I’m going to call it like I see it. Kaepernick made a mistake the way he handled all this…….IF he really wants a job in the NFL. Period. And your contribution to all of this doesn’t help. It hurts. It ain’t about you being wrong. It’s about you needing to grow the hell up. Your decision. Your life! Do you!

A post shared by Stephen A. Smith (@stephenasmith) on Nov 17, 2019 at 9:48am PST

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Man, please. You embarrass yourself @e_reid35 every single time you open your mouth. You — of all people — talking of tap dancing when you’re the one collecting a check from the very institution you collect a check from. You @E_Reid35, who takes a knee — supposedly for brothers, yet attack brothers — Malcolm Jenkins, Jay-Z, ME — at every turn the second someone disagrees with you. You @E_Reid35 got the nerve to call out the @NFL when your beef was suppose to be with society in regards to police brutality and racial oppression. Where’s your plan? Huh @E_Reid35? To call out or beat up everyone who utters a word you disagree with? All brothers, BTW. Let me tell you something Mr. @E_Reid35: Kaepernick has been supported. We’ve all said he was done wrong. That he was blackballed. That he should be in the league. Who the hell hasn’t acknowledged that? But life isn’t fair. It damn sure ain’t ideal. And at some point, you’ve got the grab the opportunity. Kap’s occurred today. And what does he do: alters the process, and shows up with a T-Shirt alluding to SLAVERY. For a JOB INTERVIEW! When are you — yes, you @E_Reid35 — going to wake the hell up and realize that maybe, just maybe, the enemy at THIS POINT ain’t the NFL. It’s not Malcolm Jenkins, Jay-Z or ME. Maybe the enemy is YOU, your childish tendencies and your unwillingness to accept that you can’t run damn thing but so much when your hand is out for someone else’s dime or product. Especially when you haven’t played in 3 years, when you were 1-10 in your last 11 games as a starter and the top-4 league MVP candidates are all black @E_Reid35. When will you learn? Chances are…..you won’t. Because your ears are clogged and you’re too blinded by vitriol to see when a brother is showing you — y’all — love and respect @E_Reid35 by simply letting you know what will work at what won’t. But oh, I forgot: we all ain’t S&@$ in your world. So…why even bother. You’ll never listen. But others will hear @E_Reid35. You can bet the house on that. Just listen. It’s coming from the multitude of places. And it’s damn sure — like a storm — on @FirstTake Monday morning. So buckle the hell up! Good luck on Sunday. Sincerely!

A post shared by Stephen A. Smith (@stephenasmith) on Nov 16, 2019 at 8:24pm PST

The more you talk, the more ridiculous you sound, @e_reid35. Actually, it’s worse than I thought since you’re the one tweeting at me hours before a damn game. And speaking of the game, weren’t you in Atlanta in attendance for Kaepernick’s workout yesterday — before having to leave EARLY to play for a team in a league you’re feeling so oppressed by? Wasn’t that you? Just asking! Hold on! I have more!

That same Malcolm X — who we all revere for life — you just brought up acknowledged there were slight errors in his thinking. You didn’t bring that up? You Eric Reid went through the same process Kap was suppose to be go through and you’re still playing on Sunday. But you didn’t bring that up! And unlike you, walking around and doing nothing but bitching at every turn, myself and many others in the media have religiously called out the NFL for blackballing Kap. We’ve religiously highlighted the unfairness of it all. And some of us have worked behind the scenes, trying to help Jay-Z and others in their quest to get Kap back in the league. Meanwhile, what is Eric Reid doing? Complaining like he wants to be on @firsttake. Failing to stop the run on Sundays. Talking S$&@ about the NFL at every turn…….but asking for that check, no doubt!

Yet, I’m the one tap dancing. Why? Because I’m gainfully employed while trying to remind youngsters out her of the pitfalls that lie-in-wait. Meanwhile, someone like you continues to throw professionalism, decorum and decency into the wind — sending folks down a dead-end path — all because your boy isn’t getting precisely his way…..when NO ONE gets their way. So who’s the SELLOUT!

Guess what, it’s neither of us. We just have a difference of opinion. I still respect the hell out of your immature, belligerent self. But I’m going to call it like I see it. Kaepernick made a mistake the way he handled all this…….IF he really wants a job in the NFL. Period. And your contribution to all of this doesn’t help. It hurts. It ain’t about you being wrong. It’s about you needing to grow the hell up. Your decision. Your life! Do you!