NFL teams continue to give quarterback-turned-civil-rights-activist Colin Kaepernick the cold shoulder. But the former 49er has never wavered in his commitment to resuming his long-dormant NFL career, training in hopes of eventually returning to the sport that turned its back on him, effectively blacklisting Kaepernick for his controversial anthem protests in 2016.
Kaepernick’s martyrdom, sacrificing his once-promising career for a greater cause (combatting social injustice while exposing societal ills like police brutality and systemic racism), has made him arguably the most influential figure in sports since Muhammad Ali, whose staunch opposition to the Vietnam War cost him nearly four years of his athletic prime.
Kaepernick held a showcase for interested teams in 2019, though it was largely viewed as a publicity stint, a way for the NFL to claim credit for doing the bare minimum. Going on six years out of the league, Kaepernick’s hopes of cracking an NFL roster spot are exceedingly slim, though Seahawks Pro Bowler Tyler Lockett, who worked out with him in Scottsdale Monday, thinks the 34-year-old has plenty left in the tank.
Will Kaepernick’s NFL exile continue or will Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who expressed remorse for not giving him an opportunity in 2017, allow the veteran to compete for a roster spot this summer? The rebuilding Seahawks could certainly use Kap’s experience, perhaps as a mentor to Drew Lock, acquired from Denver in last week’s Russell Wilson trade. Seattle has also been linked to Deshaun Watson (who many expect to be traded after being cleared of sexual assault charges) and could select a quarterback early in next month’s draft. It would take a leap of faith on Carroll’s part, but Kaepernick’s chemistry with Lockett can’t be discounted.
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