"I pray the day soon comes when you get to play the game you love again" - When rapper J Cole championed Colin Kaepernick's NFL comeback bid with an empowering message
Ahead of the 2022 season, Colin Kaepernick does not have an NFL team to play for. Despite multiple workouts and passing interest from current and former NFL coaches, Kaepernick is not on a 53-man roster. The quarterback position is the most important position due to the responsibilities.
Depth is always welcome in a violent sport that has injuries which can negatively affect the team.
Regardless of political stance or perceived blackballing by NFL owners, each season that Kaepernick remains on the sidelines means his window to return is closer to shutting down. A few months ago, rapper J Cole went on social media to express his support for the quarterback.
Cole painted a picture of Kaepernick’s efforts to return to the NFL:
"Imagine 5 straight years spent waking up every day to train at 5am, staying ready in hopes that some team would reach out with an opportunity, no matter how impossible that sounded most days. He probably finishing up today’s workout as I type this right now. I see you bro, and I know God is with you. I pray the day soon comes when you get to play the game you love at the highest level again. I believe. And I haven’t forgot. RESPECT.”
That being said, there remains a world where a team in need of a signal-caller will come calling on Colin Kaepernick to run their offense. Teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Houston Texans, and the Cleveland Browns could conceivably find themselves needing a quarterback with Kaepernick’s experience.
Understandably, these teams (and many others) might err on the side of caution to avoid the extra publicity that comes with signing a divisive quarterback like Kaepernick.
Colin Kaepernick comes from a long line of mobile quarterbacks
Colin Kaepernick’s peak NFL seasons came when the San Francisco 49ers installed an option-read offense tailored to his strengths. Other notable athletic quarterbacks who run often (or often run first) include Steve Young, Randall Cunningham, Michael Vick, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen.
The NFL today has a bevy of multi-talented quarterbacks who can beat opposing defenses with their legs as well as their arms. For the 2022-23 season, several young up and comers are also adding their talent to the pool of multi-faceted quarterbacks. These include Jalen Hurts, Trey Lance, Justin Fields, and Trevor Lawrence.
While Colin Kaepernick was not the first successful running quarterback, he was successful in the short time he and then head coach Jim Harbaugh collaborated to dominate the NFC.