Why Doesn’t Colin Kaepernick Play in the NFL?

Why doesn’t Colin Kaepernick play in the NFL? It’s a question that has been asked a lot recently, and there are a few possible explanations. Kaepernick is a free agent quarterback who is best known for kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. He hasn’t been signed by an NFL team since he became a free agent in 2017, and many people believe that his political views are the reason why.

Reasons for Colin Kaepernick’s unemployment

There are many theories as to why Colin Kaepernick, former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, doesn’t have a job in the NFL. He’s been unemployed since 2017, despite having led his team to the Super Bowl in 2013. One theory is that he’s being blackballed by the NFL for kneeling during the National Anthem. Another theory is that teams are afraid of the potential distraction he would bring to their locker rooms. Let’s take a closer look at these theories.

Lack of interest from NFL teams

There are a number of reasons why NFL teams may not be interested in signing Colin Kaepernick. One possibility is that teams simply don’t think he’s good enough to be worth signing. Kaepernick has not played well in recent years, and some people in the NFL think that his best days are behind him.

Another possibility is that teams believe that signing Kaepernick would be a PR nightmare. Given the intense media scrutiny that would come with signing him, some teams may feel that it’s simply not worth the hassle. Additionally, many NFL fans are strongly opposed to Kaepernick, and signing him would likely alienate some of those fans.

Finally, it’s worth noting that most NFL teams already have a starting quarterback, and they don’t really need another one. Kaepernick would likely only be signed as a backup, and many teams may not feel that he’s worth the money for that role.

Kaepernick’s protests

During the 2016 NFL preseason, Kaepernick first sat and then knelt during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in protest of what he saw as the oppression of black people and other minorities in the United States. His actions immediately drew sharp criticism from some fans, NFL personnel, and politicians. Some labeled Kaepernick a traitor for not standing during the anthem, while others applauded his actions and called for more athletes to speak out on social injustice.

Kaepernick continued to kneel during the anthem throughout the 2016 regular season, drawing both support and criticism from around the league. After meeting with former Green Beret Nate Boyer, Kaepernick decided to kneel instead of sit during the anthem as a way to show more respect for military members. He explained his decision in an Instagram post:

“I realize that men and women of the military go through unimaginable hardships fighting for America. I have great respect for them and their commitment to our country. I realize that many of these men and women are also working to protect our right to protest by fighting for our freedom… I want to thank them for their courage.”

In November 2017, Kaepernick filed a grievance against NFL owners, accusing them of colluding to keep him out of the league. An arbitrator ruled in favor of Kaepernick in February 2019, saying that there was “sufficient evidence” that NFL owners had discussed ways to keep Kaepernick off teams. The case is currently in settlement negotiations.

The NFL’s reaction to Kaepernick’s protests

Statements from NFL owners

In the wake of Colin Kaepernick’s protests during the national anthem, several NFL owners have issued statements. Some have been supportive of Kaepernick and his right to protest, while others have criticized his actions.

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair was one of the first to speak out, saying, “We can’t have the inmates running the prison.” McNair later apologized for his comments.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has been one of the most vocal critics of Kaepernick, saying that any player who “disrespects the flag” will not be allowed to play for the Cowboys.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft also weighed in, saying that he disagrees with Kaepernick’s protest but respects his right to do it.

Buffalo Bills owner Terry Pegula said that while he doesn’t agree with Kaepernick’s methods, he understands his frustration. “I personally don’t believe that’s an effective way to raise social awareness,” Pegula said. “I think there are other ways you can do it.”

Statements from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

In an interview with Fox News, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about Kaepernick’s protests. “I support our players when they want to see change in society, and we don’t live in a perfect society,” Goodell said. “We live in a society that’s constantly changing and we have to adapt to that.” He also said that Kaepernick’s protests are ” not something that I necessarily agree with,” but he respects players’ rights to express themselves.

The impact of Kaepernick’s protests on the NFL

Since 2016, Colin Kaepernick has been a free agent in the NFL. He first gained notoriety for his protests during the national anthem, in which he kneeled to raise awareness of racial injustice in the United States. Kaepernick’s protests provoked a strong reaction from the public, with many people calling for him to be fired from the NFL. However, others argued that his protests were protected by the First Amendment.

Ratings decline

Since 2016, the NFL has seen a decline in ratings. In that year, Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began to kneel during the pre-game national anthem as a way to protest police brutality and racial inequality. His actions sparked a nationwide movement, with other players joining in the protests.

Critics argue that the protests are disrespectful to the flag and to the military, and that they are the reason for the decline in ratings. Supporters of Kaepernick argue that he is being blackballed by the NFL for his protests, and that the real reason for the decline in ratings is viewers’ general dissatisfaction with the league.

Loss of sponsors

After Kaepernick’s kneeling protests became public, some people and groups responded bycalling for boycotts of the NFL. In particular, they urged people not to watch NFL games on television, to stop buying products made by companies that sponsor the NFL, or to stop attending NFL games.

The goal of these boycotts was to pressure the NFL into taking action against racism and police brutality, and to convince teams to sign Kaepernick. But it’s not clear how successful the boycotts have been.

One way to measure the impact of the boycotts is to look at the NFL’s TV ratings. By that metric, there doesn’t seem to be much of an impact. In 2017, the average rating for an NFL game was 14 percent lower than it was in 2016, but it’s not clear how much of that decline can be attributed to the protests. The ratings had been declining for several years before Kaepernick took a knee, and there are many factors that can affect TV ratings (such as competition from other sports or entertainment options).

It’s also difficult to measure how effective boycotts have been at convincing companies to drop their sponsorships of the NFL. Some companies have ended their relationships with the league, but it’s hard to say whether that’s due to pressure from boycotters or simply because of other factors (such as changes in marketing strategy).

What’s next for Colin Kaepernick?

It’s been over two years since Colin Kaepernick last played in the NFL, and many are wondering if he’ll ever play again. Kaepernick became a free agent in March of 2017 and has not been signed by a team since. There are many speculations as to why he remains unsigned, but the most likely reason is that teams are afraid of the potential backlash from signing him.

Retirement

It’s been over a year since Colin Kaepernick last played in the NFL, and there’s no end in sight for his career hiatus. The question on everyone’s mind is: why doesn’t Colin Kaepernick play in the NFL?

There are a number of theories as to why Kap isn’t signed to a team. Some say that he doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional NFL quarterback. Others say that his political activism is to blame. And then there are those who believe that the NFL is blacklisting him because of his protests against police brutality and racial inequality.

Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: Colin Kaepernick is not playing in the NFL right now, and it doesn’t look like he will be anytime soon.

Playing in another league

Colin Kaepernick hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016, but he’s been working out and waiting for another chance to play quarterback in the league.

Kaepernick, who sparked a national conversation about race and social injustice when he kneeled during the national anthem before NFL games, has been unsigned since he became a free agent in 2017.

Some have speculated that Kaepernick is being blackballed by NFL owners because of his political views. Others have said that he simply isn’t good enough to play in the NFL anymore.

The 31-year-old Kaepernick has stayed active, working out five days a week and throwing thousands of passes to keep his arm in shape. He’s also been involved in social justice causes, starting a philanthropic initiative called Know Your Rights Camp.

In October 2019, Kaepernick worked out for the Seattle Seahawks, but the team decided not to sign him.

Kaepernick has said that he wants to play in the NFL again and that he remains committed to social justice causes.

“I’ve been ready for three years,” Kaepernick said in a 2019 interview with Nike. “I’ve been denyed for three years. We all know why I came out here. [I] showed it today in front of everybody.”