Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick will hold a private workout Saturday in Atlanta. This story is courtesy of a memo obtained by ESPN on Tuesday.
Allegedly, several NFL teams have recently wondered about Kaepernick’s status in regards to being still ready to play. Furthermore, Kaepernick tweeted about the workout on Tuesday:
I’m just getting word from my representatives that the NFL league office reached out to them about a workout in Atlanta on Saturday. I’ve been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can’t wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday.
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 13, 2019
Last we saw Kaepernick, he began protesting police brutality and racial injustice by kneeling during the pregame national anthem. Shortly after that, his playing career ended during the 2016 season.
Equally important, here is what the memo to the league said:
“Earlier this year, we discussed some possible steps with his representatives and they recently emphasized his level of preparation and that he is ready to work out for clubs and be interviewed by them. We have therefore arranged this opportunity for him to work out, and for all clubs to have the opportunity to evaluate his current readiness and level of interest in resuming his NFL career.”
Notably, the Dallas Cowboys are at least one team that are interested in being present at the workout. Indeed, Kaepernick says he has been working out five days a week; which piggybacks what he said in his tweet.
Still, there’s no replacement for in-game experience in the NFL. During his playing career, he threw 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions with a 59.8 completion percentage. He took the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2012, and then to the NFC Championship game in 2013.
While he hasn’t played in quite some time, it’s hard to argue that he could help a team if he can remain from being an immense distraction. When you look around the league and see some of the back-ups that are currently on a roster, you again feel like Kaepernick could provide some athletic depth for a team.
However, the real story here is that many teams probably don’t want the perceived headache. Right or wrong, it’s about winning games on Sunday; and pushing your views in any fashion seem deterrent of end goal. Surely, players use social media to do that currently. But on game day, it’s about a focus between the white lines; and what Kaepernick chose to do distracted locker rooms.
This will be a very interesting storyline to keep an eye on as the days go forward.
