Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
One of the many twists on the winding road to Colin Kaepernick’s unusual tryout on Saturday was a series of conversations between two unlikely bedfellows.
Since they formed a business alliance this summer, Jay-Z, the music star and impresario, and Roger Goodell, the N.F.L. commissioner, have spoken frequently about several issues, including the fate of Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has not played in nearly three years, after kneeling during the national anthem in the 2016 season.
Kneeling made Kaepernick, 32, a polarizing force across the country. He began doing it to protest police violence against African-Americans, then became a free agent in 2017 and was unable to find a new club.