Is Colin Kaepernick In The Nfl?
Contents
Colin Kaepernick has not been signed to an NFL team since he became a free agent in 2017.
Many believe that the reason he has not been signed is due to his kneeling during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice in America.
Who is Colin Kaepernick?
Colin Kaepernick is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He played college football at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Defensive Player of the Year twice. After graduating, he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
Kaepernick began his professional career as a backup quarterback to Alex Smith, and became the 49ers’ starter midway through the 2012 season after Smith suffered a concussion. He helped lead the team to Super Bowl XLVII that year, but they lost to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31. In 2013, Kaepernick led the 49ers to their first NFC Championship appearance in 18 years. The following season, he helped lead them back to the NFC Championship game, but they lost 23-17 to the Seattle Seahawks.
In 2016, Kaepernick became a free agent and was not signed by any team for that season. He then began kneeling during pre-game performances of the national anthem as a protest against police brutality and racial inequality in America. His protests sparked nationwide controversy and debate, with some people supporting his actions and others condemning them. After opting out of his contract with the 49ers in early 2017, Kaepernick has not been signed by any other NFL teams and has not played since 2016.
Why isn’t Colin Kaepernick in the NFL?
Colin Kaepernick is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. He is best known for his protests against racial injustice and police brutality, which gained national attention during the 2016 NFL preseason. He has not been signed by an NFL team since he became a free agent in 2017. Some people believe that the reason he isn’t in the NFL is because of his protests. Let’s look at the reasons why people believe this.
Lack of talent
The main reason that Colin Kaepernick is not currently playing in the NFL is that he is not considered to be good enough. There are 32 NFL teams, and each team has 53 players on its roster. That means there are 1,696 total roster spots in the NFL. At any given time, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of other football players who are better than Colin Kaepernick and who would be signed by an NFL team if they were available.
Distraction
Some fans and pundits have said that Kaepernick is not in the NFL because he is a distraction. They say that his protests, which first began in 2016 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers, have divided locker rooms and fanbases, and that teams don’t want to deal with the media scrutiny that would come with signing him.
Poor work ethic
In 2016, Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the 49ers and became a free agent. He has not been signed by another team since then, leading many to speculate that there must be something more to the story than just his on-field performance.
One theory is that Kaepernick is being “blackballed” by NFL owners for his political activism, with some suggesting that he is simply too controversial for teams to want to deal with. However, others have argued that Kaepernick simply isn’t good enough to warrant being on an NFL roster, pointing to his declining stats in recent years.
One thing that seems clear is that Kaepernick’s work ethic has been called into question by some in the NFL community. In 2017, an anonymous scout told Bleacher Report that “somebody’s gonna give him a chance but I think his best football [has] passed him by.”
Whether or not you believe Kaepernick is being treated unfairly, it seems clear that his future in the NFL is far from guaranteed.
What are Colin Kaepernick’s options?
Colin Kaepernick is a free agent, meaning that he is not signed to any team at the moment. He is eligible to sign with any team in the NFL. Some people believe that he is being blackballed by the NFL because he knelt during the National Anthem in protest of police brutality. However, there are a few teams that have shown interest in him. Let’s take a look at his options.
Continue to protest
Kaepernick has been a free agent since he opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017, and no team has signed him. He started a wave of protests by NFL players by first sitting, and then kneeling, during the national anthem to bring attention to police brutality and racial inequality.
Many believe that Kaepernick is being blackballed by NFL owners for his protests, and his supporters have called for a boycott of the NFL. While some fans have followed through on that pledge, others have argued that it would punish players who have nothing to do with Kaepernick’s situation.
Find a new team
The most obvious option for Colin Kaepernick is to find a new team. He would likely have to sign a contract for much less money than he was making with the 49ers, but he would have the chance to play again. This could be difficult, however, as many teams may be hesitant to sign a player who has been out of the league for so long and who has such a controversial past.
Retire
Retirement is an option for Colin Kaepernick, but it’s not one that he’s likely to take, according to those close to him. The 31-year-old quarterback wants to play in the NFL and believes he still has the ability to do so, sources told ESPN.
Kaepernick has been out of the league since the 2016 season, when he started a protests movement by kneeling during the national anthem to bring attention to social and racial injustice. He opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers the following offseason and has not been signed by another team since.
Despite not finding a job in the NFL, Kaepernick has remained active off the field. He has been working out five days a week in hopes of signing with a team and has also been heavily involved in social activism.
What impact has Colin Kaepernick had on the NFL?
Colin Kaepernick is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He drew national attention for kneeling during the national anthem before games, a protest against racial injustice. His kneeling protest began in 2016, and he has been unsigned by an NFL team since 2017. Let’s unpack the impact that Colin Kaepernick has had on the NFL.
Protests
Since 2016, Colin Kaepernick has been a free agent, after opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers. He has not been signed by any NFL team since then. He is best known for protesting racial injustice and police brutality by kneeling during the National Anthem before games, a practice that other players have since adopted. Critics argue that his protests are disrespectful to the flag and to military veterans, while supporters argue that he is exercising his right to free speech. Some argue that NFL teams are reluctant to sign him because of his political views.
Ratings
Since Colin Kaepernick began his protests against racial injustice in 2016, the NFL’s television ratings have declined. In 2017, the NFL’s ratings were down by about 10% from the 2016 season. This decline is believed to be largely due to viewers who are turned off by the politicization of the sport.
Revenue
Since Colin Kaepernick joined the NFL in 2011, league revenue has grown by over $2.3 billion. In that time, the average value of an NFL franchise has nearly doubled.