NFL TEAMS WERE on Tuesday invited to attend a private workout by Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco quarterback who ignited controversy by kneeling during the US national anthem to protest against racial injustice.
Kaepernick’s protests triggered a political firestorm in 2017 — after the quarterback had left the league — when US President Donald Trump described players who knelt during the US anthem as “sons of bitches” who should be sacked.
He has not played since opting out of his 49ers contract at the end of the 2016-2017 season and has been repeatedly ignored by teams in the years since.
In 2017 he filed a grievance against the NFL alleging he was being unfairly denied employment, a case that was settled in February.
He has continued to train in the hope of being able to retain his readiness to play and the NFL-arranged workout, first reported by ESPN, was confirmed by Kaepernick on Twitter.
“I’m just getting word from my representatives that the NFL league office reached out to them about a workout in Atlanta on Saturday,” Kaepernick wrote.
“I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday.”
I’m just getting word from my representatives that the NFL league office reached out to them about a workout in Atlanta on Saturday. I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 13, 2019
ESPN reported on Tuesday that teams had been sent a memo inviting them to watch and interview Kaepernick at a workout in Atlanta on Saturday.
The network reported that several clubs had already inquired about whether Kaepernick was ready to play.
“Earlier this year, we discussed some possible steps with his representatives and they recently emphasized his level of preparation and that he is ready to work out for clubs and be interviewed by them,” ESPN quoted the memo as saying.
“We have therefore arranged this opportunity for him to work out, and for all clubs to have the opportunity to evaluate his current readiness and level of interest in resuming his NFL career.”
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Hard to see anyone taking him on. It os a very conservative league. Pity really he is a great QB
@Cranesofdublin: shame there isn’t an NFL Europe anymore, there’s nowhere for players like Kap to play, at a level that would keep him relatively sharp enough for NFL action…
@Cranesofdublin: no he is not. He would be a 3rd choice qb at best on a roster.
@Cranesofdublin: he’s definitely not. He’d possibly be backup QB to a few teams, or possibly start in some of the lesser teams
@Mark Rafferty: good enough to start for the Bengals and the jets right now
@ℝ: he could have tried the CFL , obviously none of the CFL rated him
@Kieran Woods: have you actually watched CFL. With his endorsements and payoff he doesn’t need to go down to that level. Would absolutely destroy his standing as a player. One thing to be a talented kid in CFL and hope to get picked up, quite another to be a now mature (32 y/o) former Rnd 2 NFL draft pick. There’s no coming back from CFL at that point in your career….
@Cranesofdublin: I think he could do a job at Indy. At least until Jacoby Brisset is fit. Hoyer’s been pretending to be a QB for years…. And getting away with it.
Nike massively in need of a good news story after the Oregon Project shut down and Mary Cain’s interview with NYT showed them to have a toxic culture towards women. Can see a team in Washington (Seahawks), California or NY taking him onto the roster for a few games; no obligation to play him. Huge merch sales and who makes the team uniforms in NFL? Yep, Nike.
@Joe O’Doherty: the merchandise-sales alone would be worth the flack owners might get from the Trump eeejits. He’ll be a great backup signing.
Wish him the best of luck, loved him at the 49’ers.
Foolish man
@Punters Pal: Why’s he foolish?
@Punters Pal: rubbish, total respect for his principles. He’s not some meathead football player, he’s a kid who had a GPA of 4.0, who was drafted but declined MLB contract to keep playing College Football…
Hope nobody touches him
Cant believe people watch this rubbish
@Peter Govan: Just because it is not to your taste doesnt automatically deam it to be rubbish you blindsided blinkered baboon. I suppose you do support LiVARpool so blinkers come with the package dont they !!
@Gary O’Rourke: your sister is blinkered
@padar: giddy up
@Peter Govan: what do you prefer? 1000000 soccer matches a week?
Źzzzzzzzzzzz