Colin Kaepernick has been out of the NFL ever since he started kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 to raise awareness for police brutality and systemic issues in the United States. Now, after being kept out of the league, multiple NFL teams are looking into bringing him back.
NFL teams looking into Colin Kaepernick
Following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, the NFL community has come together in support of Colin Kaepernick’s message. Now with commissioner Roger Goodell admitted the league got it wrong about player protests and the league’s $250 million pledge to combat systemic racism, NFL teams are now showing interest in Kaepernick.
At this point, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, no NFL team has contacted Kaepernick or his agent directly. However, clubs have been calling his friends, former teammates and even Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
“There are conversations happening with friends and associates of Kaepernick. Teams continue to do research,” Mike Garafolo said, via NFL Total Access. “Teams are circling around here, getting closer, I believe and certainly closer than they have been in recent years.”
While the conversations are still ongoing, it could be the final step before NFL teams starting calling his agent and making offers to bring Kaepernick back to the NFL.
“When they get to the point when they’re confident enough that they think they can work out a contract, that’s when there will be direct communication with the agent,” Garafolo said.
Will Colin Kaepernick be signed?
Kaepernick is still training with the hopes of signing with an NFL team. Between his work to tell stories about race and civil rights in the United States and his charitable work, the 32-year-old is keeping himself in great shape. Meanwhile, the tone around the NFL is becoming more positive about Kaepernick and with an increasing hope in the league office that a team will sign him.
The Philadelphia Eagles have expressed some interest in Kaepernick, but they aren’t alone. According to NFL Network’s Michael Silver, a couple of organizations are seriously exploring Kaepernick before training camp begins.
Kaepernick struggled at times during the 2016 season with the San Francisco 49ers. While he played on one of the NFL’s worst teams, he still posted a 90.7 quarterback rating with 18 total touchdowns and just four interceptions in 12 games.
It could just be a matter of time before we see Kaepernick back in an NFL uniform and fighting for a spot on a 53-man roster.