Sports | May 2, 2018 11:41 am

Anthem Protester Files Collusion Grievance Against the NFL

Free agent Eric Reid is following in ex-teammate Colin Kaepernick's footsteps.

Eli Harold #57, Eric Reid #35 and Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel on the sideline, during the anthem, prior to the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on November 26, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. The Seahawks defeated the 49ers 24-13. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

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By Evan Bleier @itishowitis

Like his former San Francisco 49ers teammate Colin Kaepernick, NFL free agent Eric Reid has filed a collusion grievance against the league.

Reid, a former Pro Bowler who was the first player to kneel alongside Kaepernick during his now infamous anthem protests, had 67 tackles and two interceptions for the 49ers last season.

Despite the on-field production, the 26-year-old has only had one free-agent visit this offseason.

Reid will use Kaepernick’s attorney Mark Geragos to represent him in the grievance, which was filed under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement and will require an arbitration hearing at the very least.

Kaepernick’s grievance contends NFL owners colluded to deny him employment because of his “leadership and advocacy for equality and social justice and his bringing awareness to peculiar institutions still undermining racial equality,” and it’s likely Reid’s will make a similar claim.