"Why would he want to play for a league that treats its players like slaves?" - NFL fans rip Colin Kaepernick for desperate bid to return
NFL free agent Colin Kaepernick is set to receive another 'tryout' on his return to football this weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Kaepernick will be the honorary captain of the Michigan Wolverines' spring game on Saturday. He will also reunite with his former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh is allowing Kaepernick to conduct a passing session with NFL free agent receivers with league scouts watching on.
News: Free agent QB Colin Kaepernick will hold an exhibition throwing event with some draft-eligible players during halftime of Michigan’s spring game tomorrow. NFL club personnel in attendance are permitted to watch the event.
However, news of Kaepernick making yet another attempt to return to the NFL has has stirred a bit of a debate on social media. The basis of the debate is why Kaepernick continues to play for the NFL, which has done nothing for him and has a poor track record with minorities.
Andy Partain lays it all out with his tweet:
@FieldYates @AdamSchefter Why would he want to play for a league that treats its players like slaves?
Other NFL fans weren't as forthright or outrageous with their tweets, but others believe Kaepernick should not return,for many reasons:
@FieldYates Imagine having this resume and people saying you are still good 5 years later.
I just don't get it. https://t.co/f2YaRdyhfb
PatsFan9999999 thinks the player has had 'special treatment' for far too long:
@FieldYates This is getting completely ridiculous. How many QBs have washed out of the league in the last 6 years, and how many of them get free PR from every single sports media person almost daily?
Jonyaney believes even if he returns, he may not last long enough to make a difference:
@SweatpantsMcGee @FieldYates @KleinschmidtJD Because then you’ll be the team that cut him in training camp and that will bring nothing but negative PR. And if by some miracle he makes the roster, there’ll be a group of people calling the organization for not starting him at any sign of trouble with QB1. It’s a lose lose.
JesseO5 calls 'crying wolf' with Kaepernick, as he's dooped the NFL more than once and has lost a lot of his credibility:
@FieldYates What exactly does he think he gains from this, as opposed to scheduling tryouts/workouts with individual teams? Because I don't see any owners/GMs taking this "throwing event" seriously.
In a sense, Colin Kaepernick was 'blackballed' from the league. After kneeling during the national anthem in protest against racial inequality and police brutality, he rubbed the league's front office the wrong way and faced a ton of backlash. He last played in 2016 and has made several attempts to re-enter the league, but the two sides have continued to butt heads over it.
Andy Partain's take might be a bit rash and exaggerated, but there are some nuggets of truth in his commet. Kaepernick was unfairly treated by the league and many team owners for his right to protest and freedom of speech. Secondly, there have been many incidents where Kaepernick was clearly better than many current starters in the NFL, but the player didn't receive a single offer or tryout.
The league is currently dealing with an issue with a lack of minorities in high-level positions, such as head coaches. The 'Rooney Rule' has been in place to at least give minorities an interview for these positions. Howeverm it has not been used properly, with Brian Flores getting an interview despite someone else already being hired.
Nonetheless, Kaepernick still seems to view the NFL as 'the place to be' as a quarterback. It's possible he feels he can change his image and how people view him if he can get back on the field and win games again.
Where would Colin Kaepernick fit in the NFL in 2022?
The timing of Kaepernick's tryout was rather poor. It comes off the heels of many blockbuster trades and quarterbacks being passed around like an offering plate on Sunday.
There are now barely half a dozen legitimate teams that need a quarterback at the moment, but the NFL Draft is less than a month away.
#Seahawks GM John Schneider and HC Pete Carroll have had communication with Kaepernick this offseason. twitter.com/MySportsUpdate…
The Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants and Houston Texans seem to be the only logical teams without a solid starter.
You can eliminate at least half of those teams by the time the NFL Draft ends. Seattle seems like the best odds, though, as Pete Carroll has spoken to Colin Kaepernick already this offseason.
Colin Kaepernick's only 'real' shot at a return to football might end up being as a backup, but that might not be in the quarterback's plans.