Is Colin Kaepernick Finally Getting His Career Back On Track?
Colin Kaepernick may be having his NFL comeback sooner than you think.
Kaepernick has not played in the league since 2016, back when he started kneeling during the national anthem as a form of protest against police brutality. While taking the knee is common practice now, he was heavily criticized at the time, especially by Donald Trump. The athlete then opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers the following year after reports revealed that he was going to be dropped from the lineup anyway. He also filed a grievance that same year, claiming that sports teams colluded against giving him a contract. Per ESPN, the former quarterback received less than $10 million in a settlement.
Kaepernick has been out of the NFL for more than half a decade at this point, but he has always expressed his intention to return. "I am still up at 5 a.m. training five, six days a week making sure I'm prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again," he said in an interview with Ebony. That's not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment. The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I'm gonna be persistent here." Now, it looks like he's close to finding a home with a new team.
Colin Kaepernick is reportedly working out with the Raiders
Colin Kaepernick may find himself living in Sin City soon. After being out of commission for years, sources told ESPN that he got the opportunity to work out for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Kaepernick once called the state of Nevada home, as the University of Nevada, Reno was the only school to grant him a scholarship, per the outlet. Aside from his meeting with the Seahawks in 2017, the Raiders are reportedly the only team willing to work with him. In 2020, team owner Mark Davis already expressed his interest to have the athlete included on the roster. "Since 2017, I've told the coaches and general managers that if they want to hire Colin Kaepernick, they have my blessing," he said at the time. In April, he also said that as long as the team is on board, he'd welcome the athlete "with open arms." Per Deadline, Davis said, "He deserves every chance in the world to become a quarterback in the National Football League."
The Raiders have yet to make a statement, but if they take Kaepernick, the opportunity won't go to waste. In an interview with "I Am Athlete," he even said that he'll be fine with being a backup and work his way up. "I know I have to find my way back in," he said. "If I have to come in as a backup, that fine. But that's not where I'm staying ... I just need that opportunity to walk through the door."