Colin Kaepernick, the former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, is still prepared and staying in case an opportunity in the NFL comes his way, as Gilberto Manzano from Sports Illustrated’s The Call NFL told him with an eye on getting another chance eventually, with at least five days of training each week.
“I’m going to keep pushing,” Kaepernick says. “I’m going to keep fighting for it because I know I can step on the field and play. Every workout, every opportunity I’ve had to show that, the feedback has always been positive. Everything from, ‘He’s still an elite player,’ to ‘The workout was great; it was better than expected.’
“When I had my workout with the Raiders last year, I can show people what I can do on the field and be able to remind people of what I was capable of. There’s a chance that there may have been a decent amount of people who have forgotten about me, but I can still do what I can out there with those guys, even with training.”
When Kaepernick decided to audition for the Raiders in 2022, he noted that his first NFL workout in years earned him the opportunity to serve as a backup for Derek Carr and Nick Mullens, as well as Jarrett Stidham. Ultimately, the team opted to move for the likes of Mullens and Stidham, thus questioning the logic behind Kaepernick’s organization.
Kaepernick stated, “however, in most cases, it results in the response, ‘Oh, we will assess the performance of our current players.’ In the case of the Raiders’ situation last year, it involved Stidham and Nick Mullens, and in my opinion, you simply compare their qualifications and abilities, in addition to their workout and the feedback received, it’s like, ‘Alright, that’s satisfactory.'” Kaepernick has encountered numerous justifications throughout the years.
Obviously, there’s something else within this decision. For me, it typically ends what it has been for the last seven years. Or, it typically ends what it has been for the last seven years. I just want the opportunity to show what I can do in the field. Please do not judge me based on your political bias.
Despite not receiving an offer in Las Vegas, Kaepernick apparently left a good impression, with some reports praising his conditioning and the strength of his arm. However, there were rumors at the time that a handful of other teams were also considering bringing him in for a visit, since Manzano had reported that he hadn’t had any scheduled workouts or visits since that time, and he is currently 35 years old.
The QB claimed that he was exiled from the league after his protests of racial injustice during the national anthem. Years later, the NFL settled with Kaepernick (and Eric Reid) on a collusion lawsuit. Since New Year’s Day in 2017, the QB hasn’t played in an NFL game. Two years later, when Kaepernick met with the Seahawks in 2017, he reorganized a Georgia workout at the last minute and threw in front of a few NFL personnel. Prior to his visit with the Raiders, Kaepernick had not been on the NFL radar for many years.