During a campaign-style rally late Monday, President Trump took credit for controversial NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick's free agency.
"There was an article today that was reported that NFL owners don't want to pick him (Colin Kaepernick) up because they don't want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump," Trump said in Kentucky. "Can you believe that?"
Trump said he acknowledged the people of Kentucky "actually stand for the American flag."
WATCH | Here's a clip from that speech.
[Teams] think there might be protest or Trump will tweet about the team.
Trump appeared to be referencing a Bleacher Report article from Friday, where an anonymous general manager said some teams thought Kaepernick was a capable player, but didn't want to sign him due to off-field baggage.
Bleacher Report's source also said some teams doubted Kaepernick's skills, and still others "genuinely hate him" for his national anthem protests.
Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem at NFL games last season to protest police brutality. Many other players followed suit, while others harshly criticized what they saw as disrespect.
Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers earlier this month. In 2012, he led the team to a narrow Super Bowl lost, but his performance took a turn for the worse in subsequent seasons.
Kaepernick changed his protest position from sitting to kneeling out of respect for veterans.
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) March 21, 2017
Trump dodged the draft.
Trump's comments were met with some harsh resistance on Twitter.
On Saturday, Kaepernick participated in the Love Army effort to fly food to the famine in Somalia.
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) March 21, 2017
Trump golfed.pic.twitter.com/leRaXBnFhn
Some pointed to Kaepernick's recent charitable efforts.
Trump, speaking in Kentucky, out of nowhere brings up a news story about NFL owners not wanting to sign Colin kaepernick, because it's 2016
— Mark Berman (@markberman) March 21, 2017
Some Trump supporters celebrated Kaepernick's free agency.