Stephen A. Smith Says Trump Ripped Kaepernick, NFL For Revenge After Bills Purchase Fell Apart: ‘I Am Going to Show Them’

Stephen A. Smith claimed Thursday that revenge motivated former President Donald Trump to publicly criticize the NFL and quarterback-turned activist Colin Kaepernick.

Smith said on ESPN’s First Take Trump sought to harm the league after his attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014 fell through.

The host claimed he spoke to Trump on the phone that year, and the then-TV host and real estate magnate vowed to sink the league and its owners by running for president.

Smith was discussing a recent workout between Kaepernick and the Oakland Raiders. The host opined the former San Francisco 49ers slinger became a pariah after he decided to kneel during the national anthem before games.

He partially blamed Trump, who ripped Kaepernick constantly during his presidency.

Smith told ESPN’s audience Trump did so to strike back at team owners:

The [Kaepernick narrative] was hijacked by the former President of the United States for his own benefit. We all know this. One of the things that I pointed out… Donald Trump wanted to purchase the Buffalo Bills, and when he wanted to purchase the Buffalo Bills, this was before he ever decided to run for president, Donald Trump called yours truly. That would be me, and he said that he wanted to purchase the Buffalo Bills.

Smith said he will “never forget” the conversation.

“He said if those owners screw me over, and I’m just using the FCC allowable version, because he didn’t say it like that, but I’m paraphrasing, he said if they screw me over, he said, ‘I’m going to show them. I’m going to get them all back. I’m going to run for President of the United States.’ That’s what he said to me back n 2014.”

Smith said the call is now relevant to him because it shows Trump politicized anthem protests to harm the league, and not necessarily Kaepernick.

“It was him politicizing the situation for his own benefit to cause havoc for NFL owners who had screwed him over from becoming an NFL owner, and being a part of their club,” Smith concluded. “Whether he’ll ever admit it or not, who the hell knows. But I’m telling you, that’s what happened with Colin Kaepernick.”

Watch above, via ESPN.