RAY LEWIS REVEALS THE REASON WHY RAVENS PASSED ON A POTENTIAL DEAL TO BRING COLIN KAEPERNICK TO BALTIMORE IN SEASON PREMIERE OF “INSIDE THE NFL™”
Tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®
Click HERE To Download Photos of Season Premiere
Photo credit: Amanda Westcott/SHOWTIME
NEW YORK (Sept. 5, 2017) — SHOWTIME Sports® kicks off the tenth season of the Sports Emmy® Award-winning studio show “INSIDE THE NFL” tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Host James Brown is joined by expert analysts Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, and former veteran NFL linebacker Ray Lewis making his show debut in-studio to discuss the league’s hottest topics going into the season’s opening game.
Tonight’s season premiere is highlighted by Lewis disclosing the reason why Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti passed on a possible signing of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. In a discussion that includes NFL Network Senior Writer Judy Battista, Lewis reveals how the Ravens were making plans to sign Kaepernick until a controversial tweet by Kaepernick’s girlfriend about Bisciotti and Lewis played a part in the possible deal falling through.
Now in its 40th season on television, INSIDE THE NFL covers every game, every week, with trademark highlights from NFL Films, special in-depth features and spirited debate on the hottest topics in the NFL. The show is produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films and airs every Tuesday during the NFL season through Feb. 6, 2018.
“INSIDE THE NFL,” the longest-running show on cable television, is produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films. The executive producers are Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports and Ross Ketover and Pat Kelleher of NFL Films. Pete Radovich Jr., the Emmy Award-winning Creative Director for CBS Sports, serves as coordinating producer.
For more information about INSIDE THE NFL, visit SHO.com, follow us on Twitter, Instagramand Facebook and join the conversation using #INSIDETHENFL.
Following are excerpts from this week’s episode:
On Colin Kaepernick…
Judy Battista – “I’m startled that he has not been signed. I’ve been told ever since I’ve started covering the NFL that talent wins out. We’ve seen teams take chances on a lot of unsavory characters. The fact that this is what has tipped over and they can’t come to grips with signing a guy who has kneeled for the national anthem but you’ve signed guys that have enormous legal issues—and they’ve been embraced by teams and they’ve been embraced by fans—I find that curious.”
Ray Lewis – “When me and Steve Bisciotti were talking, this is what we were talking about, Judy. We were talking about giving this kid an opportunity to get back in the National Football League. Look, this is what I wanted to share with people. I have been fighting for this kid behind the table like nobody has… I’ve never been against Colin Kaepernick. But I am against the way he’s done it.
“Then, his girl [Colin Kaepernick’s girlfriend] goes out and put out this racist gesture and doesn’t know we are in the back office about to try to get this guy signed. Steve Bisciotti has said it himself, ‘How can you crucify Ray Lewis when Ray Lewis is the one calling for Colin Kaepernick?’…
“When they (Ravens) called me, it was to say, ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ … We were going to close the deal to sign him… Steve Bisciotti said, ‘I want to hear Colin Kaeperkick speak to let me know that he wants to play football.’… And it never happens because that picture comes up the next day. “
Judy Battista – “So, if not for that… tweet, you think he would be a Baltimore Raven”
Ray Lewis – “Then he’s flying him to Baltimore. I am sitting with all three of them and we are all having a conversation about bringing Colin Kaepernick in.“
# # #
About Showtime Networks Inc.
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ and FLIX®, and also offers SHOWTIME ON DEMAND®, THE MOVIE CHANNEL™ ON DEMAND and FLIX ON DEMAND®, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME®. Showtime Digital Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SNI, operates the stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME®. SHOWTIME is currently available to subscribers via cable, DBS and telco providers, and as a stand-alone streaming service through Apple®, Roku®, Amazon, Google, Xbox One and Samsung. Consumers can also subscribe to SHOWTIME via Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Sony PlayStation™ Vue and Amazon Channels. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks™, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel™, and offers Smithsonian Earth™ through SN Digital LLC. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV. For more information, go to www.SHO.com.
About NFL Films
NFL Films – winner of 121 Sports Emmy Awards – remains a gold standard in sports television, providing unprecedented access to and legendary storytelling about the sport of professional football. NFL Films is a part of NFL Media, the owned and operated media division of the National Football League which is comprised of NFL Network, NFL Films, NFL.com, NFL Now, NFL Mobile from Verizon and NFL RedZone. With more than 100 million feet of film in its library, NFL Films is the historical backbone of NFL Network.