Democrats are famous for turning politically charged funerals into foot-stomping, fist-pumping, chant-shouting rallies (think: Paul Wellstone), but the "Rev." Al Sharpton has managed to take it one level lower.  He used the occasion of George Floyd's funeral in Houston as an opportunity to shake down the NFL.

MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton demanded Tuesday during George Floyd's funeral that former San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick get his "job back" in the NFL.

After a rocky six-year stint in San Franciso that ended in 2016 with the former dual-threat quarterback becoming better known for his refusal to stand for the national anthem than his play at the position, Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017 but has yet to land a position in the league.

"Oh, it's nice to see some people change their mind, head of the NFL said yeah, maybe we was wrong. Football players, maybe they did have the right to peacefully protest. Well, don't apologize. Give Colin Kaepernick a job back!" Sharpton said to audience applause.

This is pretty disgusting, because the funeral was to bid farewell and perhaps honor George Floyd, the suspect in police custody who was callously strangled and killed by a Minneapolis police officer with 18 previous complaints against him.

This is the time to demand a job for Colin Kaepernick? the famous kneeling San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has been out of a job since 2016 — and who's pretty well compensated these days by corporate America through his hagiographic Nike ads?

How low can he go?

Sharpton was using the occasion of the funeral to advance other causes that have nothing to do with Floyd, a classless thing if there ever was one.  Imagine what the family of Floyd thought of that pitch to the football barons on the day they set aside to remember George Floyd.

It was also a shakedown.  Sharpton is well known for implicitly threatening big businesses with boycotts and protests and demonization in the press if they don't play ball with him and shell out.

Here's the big reason why it's a shakedown:

Kaepernick is past his prime.  Any team that hires him is going to be hiring a losing quarterback.  He was on the skids when he drew attention to himself with his knee stunt, refusing to salute the U.S. flag and sing the National Anthem, and with audiences turned off, he rapidly found himself a free agent.  Now he's undoubtedly worse still, well out of practice.  Hire him and lose millions, for Al.

This stands out for its opportunism and cupidity.  What does Kaepernick have on Sharpton?  What are the forces behind this shameless plugging of a loser football player to a league that has hundreds of bright recruits to choose from?  I have low hopes for corporate America in these kinds of shakedown situations, but I hope their money talks enough to them that they have the guts to refuse.

Image credit: G F / Flynn Gerard via Flickr.