WOODLAND HILLS, CA — Colin Kaepernick is trying to state his case that he is ready and capable of being an NFL quarterback again if a team will give him a chance. He hosted eight workouts in different U.S. cities in recent weeks with the hopes that NFL scouts would attend. This is not the first time that he’s publicly shown his physical readiness, but at 34-years-old, this might be his last real shot to make an impression on NFL teams.
(Photo Credit: Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)
Kaepernick is not looking for a team to guarantee him a starting spot on a roster. He’s only looking for a team to let him “walk through the door” for a real NFL workout and tryout. It has been five years since he last played a real snap in the NFL. The last time he was on an NFL roster was during the 2016-17 season, when he played for the San Francisco 49ers. His last live-game action was on New Year’s Day 2017 when the 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks, 25-23. He threw for 215 yards and one touchdown in that game, rushed for 16 yards, and had a 122.3 passer rating.
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In 2019, Kaepernick settled a lawsuit that alleged that league owners had blackballed him for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice. He started refusing to stand during the national anthem during preseason games in August 2016 leading up to the regular season. It wasn’t noticed by many people during the first two preseason games, but by the third game on Aug. 26, the media took notice. After the game, Kaepernick made a statement to the media.
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder,” Kaepernick said.
San Francisco 49ers teammates, Colin Kaepernick (right) and Eric Reid kneel during the national anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice on Sept. 18, 2016, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Mike McCarn/AP)
During that season, other players joined him by kneeling in protest. It became a media circus from week to week, prompting NFL locker rooms to discuss what they would do during the national anthem. Some teams chose to show unity by standing with arms linked together. Other players chose to stand but raised a closed fist in the air, like track and field Olympic athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos did during the 1968 Summer Olympics podium ceremony when the U.S. national anthem played.
There have been many debates over Kaepernick’s protest, and some felt that he was disrespecting the military, however, soldiers and veterans have expressed support for what he did. Not everyone understood what he was protesting, and some people just don’t want to admit that systemic racism still exists.
(Photo Credit: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
AUDIO
Jenilee reports on Colin Kaepernick wanting to get back into the NFL
All of this is why people talk about Kaepernick’s NFL future. NFL players like wide receiver Tyler Lockett and quarterback Justin Fields have publicly expressed that Kaepernick physically seems like he can still play at an NFL level. He’s had support from different coaches, players, and athletic trainers throughout his journey to prove to the league that he still has it. The real question will be, is there an NFL owner out there that is willing to take a chance?
If Kaepernick is signed by a team there will inevitably be heavy media attention and criticism that comes along with it. Most teams will not be willing to take that on unless they feel that he can be a quality starting quarterback, even though Kaepernick has expressed that he wouldn’t mind being a backup. If a team signs him, they will also be implying that they support his views on racial injustice. So far, there has not been an NFL team or owner who feels like the risk is worth the reward.
Kaepernick has traveled to Scottsdale, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans, Seattle, and Los Angeles so far to show NFL teams that he has stayed ready. He feels as though he has “unfinished business” when it comes to his NFL career. This may be the last big push that he has in him, and time will tell if a team asks him to sign on the dotted line.
By: Jenilee Borek
Contributions: Sports Illustrated, ESPN, The Washington Post, The Spun, The Week, Los Angeles Times, Business Insider
Photo Credit: Carmen Mandato, Getty Images, Mike McCarn, AP, Jaime Crawford
Audio: Jenilee Borek, I Am Athlete
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