Colin Kaepernick posts clip of himself 'still working' to make an NFL comeback in 2022
Colin Kaepernick, who hasn't seen an NFL field in six years, is reportedly still working out in hopes of being hired by a team this year.
The NFL quarterback market has seen some big changes of late. Aaron Rodgers said he was returning to the Green Bay Packers next season. Russell Wilson is slated to transfer from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, Carson Wentz is set to be traded from the Indianapolis Colts to the Washington Commanders. As noted by Fox News, the Seahawks could potentially invite Kaepernick on board considering the franchise's past flirtation with the former quarterback.
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34-year-old Kaepernick, who has built a reputation as a civil rights activist since his departure from professional football, shared a video of himself throwing on a practice field Thursday, March 10, writing, "Still working." Shortly after, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers star "wants to play" and is "ready to play" for any NFL team with a QB vacancy.
Colin Kaepernick is still working out and is said to be, in the words of one source, “in the best shape of his life. He wants to play. He’s ready play. He would be a great fit for teams with QB vacancies to fill who want to win a Super Bowl.” https://t.co/VAXfKlZ6E4
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2022
While focusing the bulk of his time on nonprofit and civil rights projects, Kaepernick has hinted at staying in NFL shape. However, he hasn't played professionally since his polarizing departure in 2016 -- his sixth and final year with the San Franciso 49ers. It's worth noting that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has encouraged teams to sign Kaepernick since before the 2020 season as the league embraced new racial-justice initiatives and acknowledged the QB's efforts to raise awareness.
However, that came after years of conflict between Kaepernick and the league. The two parties reached a confidential settlement with the player in 2019 after the latter accused team owners of colluding to keep him out of the competition following his controversial national anthem protests in 2016. The league even organized a workout exhibition in 2019 for Kaepernick to audition for interested teams. The QB, however, withdrew from the event citing concerns over the NFL's stipulations. According to CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin, Kaepernick's chances of being considered by a team in 2022 are relatively thin, even though several franchises showed interest in him two years ago. "At this point in his career, he'd likely enter as little more than competition for a backup role," Benjamin wrote.
Speaking to Ebony in October, Kaepernick said he was keeping himself ready just in case an offer came through. "Absolutely. I am still up at 5 a.m. training five, six days a week making sure I’m prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again," he told the magazine. "That’s not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment. The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I’m gonna be persistent here." He added, "And you’re gonna have to continue to deny me and do so in a public way. And you’re gonna expose yourself by that, but it won’t be because I’m not ready or not prepared."
Kaepernick was a second-round pick of the 49ers in 2011 and emerged as a second-year successor to Alex Smith. He delivered impressive performances during San Francisco's run to Super Bowl XLVII in 2012. The following year -- his first full year as a 49ers' starter -- he threw 21 touchdowns and just eight interceptions, to go along with 524 rushing yards. The QB, however, played just one more full season for San Francisco, moving on and off the bench from 2015-16 and later opting out of his contract in 2017, Fox News reported.
