Emmanuel Acho got straight to the point with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on his handling of Colin Kaepernick's protests of the national anthem. Although the NFL has recently embraced players using their platform to raise awareness for racial injustice, the damage to Kaepernick's playing career had already been done.

Goodell offered up an apology on the NFL's behalf for not realizing Kaepernick's message sooner during Acho's YouTube series “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man“:

“I wish we had listened earlier, Kaep, to what you were kneeling about and what you were trying to bring attention to,” via Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Kaepernick's decision to take a knee continues to spark one of the most polarizing debates in the NFL today. While Goodell and the rest of the league took action to ensure he would face immediate consequences, he would become a martyr for professional athletes in all sports to take a stand.

The league still finds itself in the midst of an unprecedented offseason due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite the NFL's change of heart, the ongoing social unease plaguing the country has made an increase in player protests an inevitability during the 2020 NFL season.

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Goodell appears to be doing what he can to make amends to Kaepernick in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd. The NFL commissioner has also expressed further optimism that Kaepernick can get another opportunity to play in the NFL, however, there has been little talk about any potential suitors.

Kaepernick's window may be coming to close, but he can take solace in the fact that his message has finally been received in the NFL's front office.