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Stephen A. Smith and Eric Reid Engaged in Social Media War Over Kaepernick’s Workout

November 18, 2019
Roman White

Eric Reid has not been afraid to call out any public figure who he feels is assisting in the takedown of Colin Kaepernick, and over the weekend his target was ESPN First Take host Stephen A. Smith. Stephen A. called out Kaepernick on social media after Kaep made last-minute changes to the location of his private NFL workout.

“He doesn’t want to play. He wants to be a martyr,” Stephen A. said in his rant about Kaepernick. “You don’t want to work, you just want to make noise and you want to control the narrative. It’s over. Colin Kaepernick’s aspirations for an NFL career, it’s over.”

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Reid responded to the sports commentator’s rant on Twitter saying that he was “tap dancing for the NFL” with a gif of Donald Duck tap dancing. “Damn straight Colin wants to control the narrative! He’s supposed to trust  the organization that blackballed him and has done absolutely nothing in good faith??? Born on Tuesday, just not last Tuesday.”

Stephen A. had a lengthy response to the former teammate of Kaepernick calling him “childish” and accusing Reid of having no plan to fight against police brutality and racial oppression. The Stephen A. Smith show host also criticized Reid for attacking Malcolm Jenkins and Jay-Z who Stephen A. feels are people pushing the conversation forward while Reid criticized them for selling out Colin.

Stephen A plans to address the situation on First Take Monday. Read the rest of the back and forth below.

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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!

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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!

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