…business decisions

We inhabit a country driven by the bottom line. When the sun sets, success is measured by profit margins, not popularity. If the bank account is growing, all moves are safe – and at the right price, all press really is good press.

Nike proved it (again). By releasing the 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign, featuring the oft-controversial Colin Kaepernick, Nike is banking on the bottom line validating a risky move. Time will tell if they made a good move, and I expect they did.

The issue is a series of business decisions, starting two years ago. During the NFL preseason, Colin Kaepernick, the then-quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, sat on the bench during the playing of the National Anthem; no one noticed. A few weeks later, Kaepernick joined his teammates on the sideline during the Anthem, but took a knee beside them. Kaep wanted to make a statement, showing his disdain for a country so accepting of racially prejudiced police brutality.

Kaep had every right to kneel. I fully support his right to peacefully protest in support of issues near to his heart, and I agree with his assessment of our often-too-hateful country. I also support the right of the NFL team owners to bench or cut players as they choose. Those moves are business decisions.

So many people – Kaepernick himself included – believe the NFL owners are colluding to keep Kaep out of the League. (There’s a grievance against the NFL pending.) Yet the 49ers’ decision to release Kaepernick can be easily explained as a subjective business decision. I’ll explain.

Professional athletes are valued based on their production minus their distraction. If a supreme athlete is a knucklehead outside of the team facilities, he or she may still make the cut; an average athlete with a bad attitude is serving burgers. Some of the greatest NFL players of all time have been major distractions off the field. If you score enough touchdowns, you can pay any fines in straight cash, homey.

So let’s examine a few NFL players who, undoubtedly, carry drama with them wherever they go. We’ll start with the newest Hall of Famer, Randy Moss. Moss once sideswiped a police car, on purpose. He faux-mooned the crowd at Lambeau Field. He took his water bottle on the field and squirted a referee. Yet Randy Moss is ranked number four all time in both receiving touchdowns and yards, and he has the record for the most touchdowns scored in a season. His production outweighed his distraction, so paying him plenty of cash always became the right business decision.

Rob Gronkowski is the quintessential party boy; he chugs beers in parades, he parties with adult models, and he seldom wears his shirt. He is a media magnet – which is not the Patriot model. Gronk, however, is on pace to be the greatest tight end of all time. He’s a four-time All Pro and five-time Pro Bowler. Gronk has the records for most receiving yards and most touchdowns by a tight end in a single season. As a bonus, he has two Super Bowl rings.

Ben Roethlisberger has faced multiple sexual assault allegations, one of which came with an NFL-mandated suspension. He’s also ranked 8th all-time in passing yards, is a six-time Pro Bowler, and has a Top Ten all-time passer rating.

Marshawn Lynch has been arrested – twice. He’s made headlines by not saying much of anything at his required press conferences. He routinely draws attention to his protective equipment during games. He also has over 10,000 career rushing yards and a Super Bowl win on his resume.

Richard Sherman is an opinionated, loud defensive back. He seeks media attention, calls out opposing players and coaches, and thrives as the antagonist. He has led the NFL since 2011 in interceptions, passes defended, and opposing completion percentage.

Ray Lewis had murder charges dropped in exchange for his testimony. He also led the Ravens to two Super Bowl victories, earning Most Valuable Player in one of them. He twice earned the honor of Defensive Player of the Year and went to 13 Pro Bowls. Now he has an address in Canton, Ohio (at the Pro Football Hall of Fame).

Tom Brady is the face of The Tuck Rule, SpyGate, and Deflategate. He is a five-time Super Bowl winner with top-five statistics in almost every major category. He is far and away the winningest quarterback in NFL history.

Where does Kaepernick stack up, then?

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick ranked 26th (out of 32 quarterbacks) in passing touchdowns. He had the NFL’s 17th best passer rating at 90.7, just below Andy Dalton and Cody Kessler, while above Eli Manning and Joe Flacco. He had a QBR (Total Quarterback Rating) of 49.5, slightly better than Brock Osweiler and just below his own successor, Blaine Gabbert. He led the 49ers to a 1-10 win-loss record, while amassing 36 sacks – on pace for the most sacks that season (which he did not reach due to being benched).

If you go back to 2014 – his last full season in the League – Kaepernick put together an 8-8 win-loss record. His completion percentage hovered at 60.5 percent, just below Joe Flacco and above Matthew Stafford. He threw more interceptions than Kyle Orton, and had a 20th best passer rating at 86.4. Kaepernick also spent 2014 piling on sacks, bringing in 52 over the season – good for the second-most that season.

As a business decision, Kaepernick had to be evaluated on his production minus his distraction. While his stance against racially driven violence in America is honorable (and validated), it’s also a major distraction to a team and fan base. His numbers put him below average for an NFL starting quarterback, which does little to encourage consumers. As a backup, Kaep is overqualified and a physical asset to any NFL team. His overall value, however, is based on his production minus his distraction, and backups produce little.

The 49ers made a business decision to release Colin Kaepernick – and owner Jed York has actually supported Kaepernick in his social justice efforts on both personal and financial levels. The other 31 NFL team owners have chosen not to put Kaepernick on a roster, as a business decision. He may be more talented than most of the backups in the League; he is a bigger distraction than most starters in the League.

Nike made a business decision to harness the distraction. For 30 years, Nike has stood behind their motto: Just Do It. It means when something is unpopular, controversial, or risky, if it’s the right move, you just do it. Now, the lifestyle brand will pay Kaepernick far more than he likely would have earned playing football. He’s more than an athlete now – he is an icon. Kaep is the face of change, of confidence, of sacrifice.

Colin Kaepernick made his business decision, choosing to kneel and risking his paycheck. The 49ers made their business decision, releasing the underperforming quarterback. Nike made their business decision, letting controversy drive sales through the roof.

Ironically, Kaep now has more money and more influence than the NFL could have provided; his sacrifice is, in essence, void. Then again, maybe Kaepernick wanted only to play professional football, which he likely will never do again. Kaep took a knee, and everything since have been business decisions; that’s the bottom line.