San Francisco 49er fans. I hope you are sitting down. I have some startling news to tell you. Gird yourselves. Here it comes. Colin Kaepernick will not be back with the 49ers next season. I know.
It’s almost impossible to believe that a quarterback of Kaepernick’s caliber will no longer be with the 49ers next season. It’s even more ridiculous to believe it was Kapernick’s call. Because it wasn’t.
“@ProFootballTalk: Colin Kaepernick will opt out of deal, becoming free agent in March”
The #49ers front office and fans: pic.twitter.com/rFDYlcQm1a
— Andrew Luck (@FauxAndyLuck) February 3, 2017
But Kaepernick is going to pretend like it is, informing the team Friday that he will opt out of the final years of his contract becoming a free agent. This is good since it just saves new GM John Lynch and upcoming head coach Kyle Shanahan the trouble of cutting him next week.
Kaepernick was not in the long term plans of any potential 49ers’ regime, even before Trent Baalke and Chip Kelly were fired. The front office wouldn’t let Kelly play Kaepernick last season until he restructured his contract to open up this very possibility. And it had nothing at all to do with Kaepernick’s anthem kneeldowns and everything to do with his taking a shit on the field every time he was behind center.
With Kaepernick walking, the 49ers get $16.9 million back in cap money they can use on their much-needed complete rebuild. The question for Kaepernick is, will any other NFL team even want him? Just looking at the NFL landscape, the coaches, teams and especially the owners, the answer is probably no. This is the last we’ll see of Kaepernick in the NFL.
Report: Colin Kaepernick Will Opt Out His Contract With 49ers https://t.co/g836apnhgn #49ers pic.twitter.com/OINqCOAJIi
— NFLTradeRumors.co (@nfltrade_rumors) February 4, 2017
Have fun in Canada, Colin. Frankly, considering the events of the last two weeks here in the USA, that doesn’t sound so bad.
Kaepernick, of course, made a lot more news for protesting the Star Spangled Banner this season than anything successful he did on the football field. The 49ers finished 2-14 and both their wins came against the Los Angeles Rams, which is just another reason why nearly all those old Jeff Fisgher-era Rams coaches should be banned from the NFL.
Kaepernick was given the Len Eshmont Award from the 49ers this season for “exemplifying the inspirational and courageous play of Len Eshmont, an original member of the 1946 49ers team.”
Pat McAfee retires
The NFL is losing one of its best personalities to sports media as Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee is calling it a career and moving on to sports and comedy. I guess I just make it all look so good.
First day of retirement I tried adderal for my first time… completely understand why it's considered a PED in the league.. #Limitless
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 3, 2017
McAfee is a two-time Pro Bowler and a fixture on any show requiring a funny NFL talking head. He did lay some of the blame on two knee surgeries, but McAfee is, in reality, a talented stand up comedian who toured all over Indiana last year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRgxU4hKf3k
He will be missed.
Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon not invited to NFL Combine
In light of being charged with “acts resulting in gross injury” after hitting a female student in 2014, the NFL has decided not to invite Oklahoma University running back Joe Mixon to the NFL Combine. Mixon was not convicted of a crime.
Mixon can still work out for teams and is eligible to be drafted in April’s NFL Draft.
Last season the NFL adopted a rule banning players with misdemeanor or felony convictions from the combine and through Mixon plead out in the case with an Alford plea (allowing him to accept punishment without saying he’s guilty), the NFL has decided the rule still applies to him.
Not only was Mixon not charged for a crime, most of the civil suit filed by the student in the video, Amelia Molitor, was tossed out by a federal judge back in November. Mixon has motioned to have the only remaining claim, that of “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” out according to OU Sports Extra.
Baylor wide receiver Ishmael Zamora will also not be invited to the combine after he was cited for animal abuse for beating his dog.
And, yeah. I’m not posting that video.
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