Is Colin Kaepernick Playing In The Nfl?
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Is Colin Kaepernick still playing in the NFL? The answer may surprise you.
Who is Colin Kaepernick?
Colin Kaepernick is a professional American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football for the University of Nevada, Reno, where he was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Offensive Player of the Year twice. After graduating, he was selected 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 starter in mid-2012 when Smith suffered a concussion. He then remained the starting quarterback for the rest of that season and led the 49ers to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. During Super Bowl XLVII, he set a single-game Super Bowl record for most rushing yards by a quarterback with 62 yards.
Why did he leave the NFL?
There are a number of reasons why Colin Kaepernick is no longer playing in the NFL. Perhaps the most controversial reason is that he chose to kneel during the National Anthem in protest of police brutality and racial injustice. While many people supported Kaepernick’s right to protest, others saw it as disrespectful to the flag and to the military. As a result, Kaepernick became a polarizing figure, and many people began boycotting the NFL altogether.
In addition to the protests, Kaepernick was also released by the San Francisco 49ers due to poor performance. He then failed to land a spot on another NFL team, leading some to believe that teams were avoiding him because of the protests. Whatever the reasons may be, it’s clear that Colin Kaepernick is no longer playing in the NFL.
What is he doing now?
After opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers in March 2017, Kaepernick became a free agent. He has not been signed by another team since becoming a free agent. In October 2017, he filed a grievance against the NFL, alleging that team owners had colluded to keep him unsigned. The grievance was withdrawn in February 2019 after the parties reached a confidential settlement.
Could he return to the NFL?
It’s been almost three years since Colin Kaepernick last played in the NFL, but the question of whether he could return to the league persists.
Kaepernick, who is now 30 years old, has not played since the 2016 season when he started a league-wide movement of players protesting during the national anthem to bring attention to social injustice. He became a free agent at the end of that season and has not been signed by another team since.
In the years since he left the NFL, Kaepernick has been both praised and criticized for his protests. Some have said that he is being blackballed by the NFL for his political beliefs, while others have argued that he is not good enough to be signed by a team.
Many believe that Kaepernick would have a chance to play in the NFL if he wanted to, but it remains unclear if he is interested in returning to the league.
What would happen if he did return to the NFL?
If Colin Kaepernick were to return to the NFL, it is unlikely that any team would sign him to a contract worth anything close to what he was previously earning. In 2016, Kaepernick was ranked as the 25th highest-paid player in the NFL, with a salary of $19 million. It is unlikely that any team would be willing to pay him anywhere near that amount of money given the significant amount of negative publicity he has generated. In addition, Kaepernick is currently 32 years old and has not played in an NFL game since 2016. It is possible that his skills have diminished and that he is no longer good enough to be an NFL quarterback.