Colin Kaepernick Rumors: Door Still Open For NFL Comeback After Seahawks Cancel Workout, ‘Yahoo Sports’ Report
Colin Kaepernick’s hope of an NFL comeback looked flat after the Seattle Seahawks canceled a planned workout when Kaepernick informed the team that he would not stop kneeling during the national anthem next year.
But now that door may be open again, Yahoo Sports is reporting.
Kaepernick has been out of a job since the end of the 2016 season, with no team picking him up after the quarterback parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers. His NFL exile appeared to be coming to an end this week with reports that the Seahawks were bringing him in for a workout, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Seahawks backed off plans to take a look at Kaepernick.
According to Schefter, Seattle postponed the trip after learning that Kaepernick would not be stopping his protest. Colin Kaepernick first started kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 as a form of protest against police brutality against minorities. Several other players have since joined the protest, drawing controversy around the NFL and now allegations that Kaepernick was being blackballed by NFL owners for his political stances.
Kaepernick is not the only player rumored to be facing a blowback for participating in the protest. As Sports Illustrated pointed out, free agent safety Eric Reid has also faced questions about whether he would continue kneeling during the national anthem in protest. Reid was one of the first players to join Kaepernick, and has not yet signed with a team since becoming a free agent.
After arranging for Colin Kaepernick to work out for the Seahawks this week, Seattle postponed the trip when the quarterback declined to stop kneeling during the national anthem next season, league sources tell ESPN.
More ahead on NFL Live now.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 12, 2018
There was some pushback against Schefter’s report about Kaepernick’s Seattle interview. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Seahawks front office actually wanted a full plan for how to handle Kaepernick’s return beyond just his NFL protest, and that kneeling was not the crux of the issue.
#Seahawks brass, John Schneider and Pete Carroll, want Colin Kaepernick to consider how he wants to proceed on everything (not just anthem) and get together at a later date when his plans are formed. Clearly, Seattle has accepted players speaking out for what they believe.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 12, 2018
There could still be a chance that Kaepernick gets his workout with the Seahawks, however. Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reported that the door was still open for Colin Kaepernick to try out for the Seahawks. Should the two sides be able to work beyond the bumps in the road, Kaepernick would still appear a capable backup to Russell Wilson, as he still maintained a high passer rating and completion percentage even on a downtrodden 49ers team.
