Woodfin's Invitation To Kaepernick Met With Online Criticism

BIRMINGHAM, AL - A tweet by Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin asking former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to consider resuming his football career by playing for Birmingham's new Alliance of American Football team was met with some harsh reactions by many Birmingham residents online.

The tweet, sent Wednesday afternoon, said, "Hey @Kaepernick7, Birmingham welcomes players who fight for social justice. It’s in our DNA."

Woodfin's invitation obviously was not a formal one, as he has no say in personnel decisions made by the team, but it drew some heavy criticism from various Twitter accounts, mostly claiming if Kaepernick did play for Birmingham's new football team, football fans in the Magic City would not support the team.

One reply to Woodfin said, "Would be the beginning of the decline of this booming economy the ‘ham has recently acquired. This is only a good idea, if you think taking one step forward to take two steps back is in Birmingham’s best interest. Colin would be a cancer to any program he joins."

Another reply said, "Are you serious? You are dooming the team and the city of Birmingham before it has a chance."

Other Twitter responses echoed those same sentiments, and some even said Woodfin's "invitation" to Kaepernick would hurt Woodfin politically.

"Thought you wanted Bham to be successful and thriving... yeah let’s bring in the biggest disgrace to the NFL and the US...the reason for NFL’s massive financial loss.. yeah Great idea- was hoping this was something we could be proud of but my family will not go if he comes here!" one person said.

Woodfin's point, which was overshadowed by the criticism of Kaepernick's activism against racial injustice that included kneeling during the "Star Spangled Banner" before the San Francisco 49ers football games, was that Birmingham has always been a national center for civil rights movements.

One Twitter response from Alabama Media Group writer Roy Johnson did take Woodfin's point into consideration, saying, "Ain’t mad at this idea at all. What better place for @Kaepernick7 than ground zero for the battle against social injustice?"

Former NFL defensive back and longtime assistant coach Tim Lewis was named the AAF Birmingham franchise's first head coach Tuesday. Lewis coached with the 49ers when Kaepernick was a member of the team, which may or may not have been a consideration of Woodfin's.

The AAF will include Birmingham among seven other cities to field teams for the new league. Birmingham joins Atlanta, Memphis, Orlando, Phoenix, San Diego and Salt Lake City as AAF locations. The league has already gone after some big names for head coaches, as Steve Spurrier, former Florida, South Carolina and Washington Redskins coach, has signed on to lead the Orlando franchise.

The league will kick off its 12-game season February 9, 2019.

Related articles:

Pro Football Returning To Birmingham, But Will It Thrive?

Birmingham's New Football Team Names Head Coach

Photo by Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

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