The NFL wanted to avoid this. The league wanted this issue left behind with the preseason. Instead, the player who started the protests that haven’t stopped will get his day in court, according to reports.

The collusion case Colin Kaepernick brought against the NFL will move forward after an arbitrator declined to dismiss it. The NFL wanted the arbitrator to throw out Kaepernick’s claim that league owners have conspired to keep him off any and every roster because of his protests against social injustice.

Kaepernick’s attorney tweeted the statement from arbitrator Stephen B. Burbank.

Two seasons ago, Kaepernick, then a quarterback with the San Francisco 49ers, started his protest during the national anthem. He made the 49ers that year, appearing in 12 games and starting 11 of them. He posted a 90.7 passer rating and threw 16 touchdowns against four interceptions.

Other players followed Kaepernick’s lead on the protests. It has become a galvanizing issue for the sport and the country. Both Kaepernick and the protests have become one of President Donald Trump’s main targets of criticism.