Ray Lewis: Ravens didn’t sign Colin Kaepernick because of his girlfriend’s tweets

Appearing on an episode of Inside The NFL on Tuesday night, Ray Lewis, a former star linebacker for the Ravens and constant Colin Kaepernick detractor, said the Ravens didn’t sign the exiled quarterback because of his girlfriend’s tweets.

In August, Kaepernick’s girlfriend Nessa, a personality on New York radio station Hot 97, posted this:

In a conversation with the NFL Network’s Judy Battista, Lewis said that Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and the team were making plans to sign the free agent quarterback until they saw the tweet. Lewis played a part in the deal falling through, according to a release detailing the exchange.

The following is the transcript from Showtime for the exchange between Battista and Lewis:

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 [Nessa] goes out and puts 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 (the 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 Kaepernick 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.“

(Video of the exchange is here.)

Lewis’ comments are another piece of the puzzle as to why Kaepernick has not been signed by an NFL franchise this offseason. It’s another reason he’s gone from football stardom to NFL exile.