Colin Kaepernick was going through the worst stretch of his career when he decided to kneel and protest police brutality and social injustice. That pretty much sealed his exit from the San Francisco 49ers and the National Football League as a whole.
Ever since, Kaepernick has been involved in multiple protests, non-profit organizations, and initiatives to favor minorities. While that has made him an icon and quite a popular guy outside of the gridiron, it has also hurt his chances of ever stepping back on the field.
It’s not a secret that most NFL owners have certain political tendencies that don’t exactly favor kneeling during the anthem. That’s why, even though there are several quarterback-needy teams and although he’s reportedly in great shape, the door is closed on him forever.
NFL News: No Team Intends To Give Colin Kaepernick A Shot
(Transcript via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk)
“Starting five years ago, the NFL wrongfully colluded against Colin Kaepernick. Five years of collusion later, the NFL has won. It’s over for Colin Kaepernick. There’s no way that any team will sign him at this point, not after he has gone half of a decade without playing football of any kind.
Yes, he posted a workout video on Thursday. Sure, Schefty quoted an anonymous source who says Kaepernick is in the best shape of his life. (It’s unclear why anonymity is needed for that specific piece of information; it’s hardly a state secret.) It’s still not happening.
(…)
Why would anyone want a quarterback who hasn’t played in five years, especially in light of the inevitably hostile reaction from 30 percent of the fan base if he’s signed at this point?
Is it wrong that he was frozen out for so many years? Yes. Were some in the media complicit in spreading bullsh*t narratives that allowed teams to justify ignoring him? Absolutely. Regardless, five years removed from his decision to opt out of the last year of his 49ers contract — at a time when the 49ers otherwise would have cut him — it’s over. It’s done. The door has been closed in his face for five years. It’s not opening now.”
You may or may not support Kaepernick as an activist. You may have an opinion about him as a player as well. But regardless of where you stand on him, you have to admit that what they did to him was wrong.