New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman throws weight behind Colin Kaepernick to Jets in clear signal to Joe Douglas
Colin Kaepernick recently made another attempt at returning to the NFL. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback wrote a letter to New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas, asking the Jets for an opportunity to return to football, even going as far as to say that he would be happy with a spot on the practice squad.
United States Representative for New York, Jamaal Bowman recently posted in support of Kaepernick's request. Bowman, who happens to be a New York Jets fan, expressed his desire for the Jets to sign the quarterback.
Bowman feels that the Jets could benefit from Kaepernick as Aaron Rodgers is out with an injury. However, it appears that even support from a U.S. Congressman is not enough to convince Douglas and the Jets.
Colin Kaepernick's letter to the Jets divides NFL fanbase
Kaepernick's letter to the Jets was posted on Instagram by rapper J. Cole. It was then that the NFL world learned of the former 49ers quarterback's intentions in a possible return. The letter didn't sit well with many NFL fans though.
The fan base of the National Football League was split, with some supporting him while others just fully disagreeing with it. Some fans who are against the idea don't feel that he should be given another chance after his protests.
How much did Colin Kaepernick sue the NFL for?
Kaepernick last played in the NFL in 2016. The San Francisco 49ers released him in early 2017. He then worked out for a few teams but never received a contract. In October 2017, he filed a lawsuit against the NFL, accusing them of blackballing him because of his political protests.
He claimed that his stance on creating social justice for all made him less likely to be signed by NFL teams, as they didn't want the attention from the media that came along with his signing.
In February 2019, Kaepernick agreed to a settlement with the NFL and in turn dropped the lawsuit against the league. While the settlement was kept private, there were some rumors that he received around $10 million. However, that was never confirmed or made public.