San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick denied using racially-charged language after he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct during his team’s loss to the Chicago Bears last week. At first, Bears defensive lineman Lamarr Houston defended Kaepernick and said he didn’t hear anything inappropriate. After being flagged for something similar on Monday night, Houston changed his mind.
Houston received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for jawing at Chris Johnson during the second quarter of Chicago’s win over the New York Jets. Like Kaepernick, he claimed to have no idea what he was flagged for.
“I don’t know,” Houston told reporters, via Brad Biggs of The Chicago Tribune. “(Umpire Tony Michalek) thought I cussed at him, but all I said was ‘back up’ because he was all up on Willie (Young) and I just told him to back up some. I guess he was intimidated by it or whatever.”
When asked about the Kaepernick incident again, Houston decided not to defend the Niners quarterback this time around. He claimed Kaepernick cursed at him and used the N-word.
“He was just saying inappropriate language,” Houston said.
We doubt officials would be flagging players simply because they feel like it. Kaepernick probably said something, and I’m sure Houston did, too. Kaepernick was fined around $11,000 for whatever he said, though he is appealing.
H/T Eye on Football
