Colin Kaepernick has not been seen on an NFL football field since he left the San Francisco 49ers more than a decade ago. The controversial quarterback’s career came to a screeching halt after the 2016 season due to him kneeling during the national anthem in protest against police brutality. He remained unsigned after that season, which numerous NFL analysts and observers have attributed to political reasons.
Kaepernick still looks in great shape to play in the NFL and he still hopes to play again as he made clear to CBS Sports—it was just a matter of which team was willing to put his activism and political leanings aside and sign him. However, it’s been seven years since the controversy, and no team has reached out to the former quarterback.
“It was 15 years of work and dedication before I ever stepped foot on an NFL field, and to have that passion and chase it for that long, you don’t just give that up, you don’t just walk away,” Kaepernick said. “You chase that. You pursue it. There will never be an instance where I’m not ready, and there will never be an instance where it’s because he doesn’t want to anymore.”
Colin Kaepernick’s activism kept him away from the NFL
Colin Kaepernick made an immediate impact in 2012 when he became the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers following Alex Smith’s concussion injury. With his rushing ability, then-coach Jim Harbaugh decided to stick with Kaepernick as a starter even when Smith returned healthy. That decision led the team to the NFC title that year and another appearance in the championship game the next year.
Being the kind of player Kaepernick is, it wasn’t his playing style that caused him to be out of a job in the NFL since 2017. Instead, it was his activism.
The former 49er kneeled during the national anthem before every game during the 2016 season as a form of protest against police brutality, especially against black people. Then-president Donald Trump went ahead and said that the NFL should fire anyone who knelt during the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
He had a clear message with his protest, and it was seen all around the world. However, even though it has resounded in recent times after a slew of racist incidents in the country, Colin Kaepernick still remains out of the league. Still, the former quarterback is hopeful that he will have another chance to step into the field.
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