One other season of NFL soccer is forthcoming, which implies it’s time for the annual reminder that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick continues to be not employed.
In an interview with Sky Sports activities, Kaepernick made clear that — regardless of not having performed skilled soccer in almost eight years — he nonetheless thinks he could be a key cog on a championship staff.
In a video posted Monday, Sky Sports activities spoke to Kaepernick concerning the (controversial) Olympics and the dialog began off innocuous sufficient.
The truth is, Kaepernick opened the interview talking concerning the Workforce USA males’s basketball staff that simply received gold in Paris (the interview occurred earlier than the precise gold medal sport).
After lauding a few of Workforce USA’s stalwarts, like LeBron James and Stephen Curry, the interviewer broached a sport that Kaepernick is a bit more acquainted with.
“It appears the Olympic spirit has obtained to you, as properly,” the interviewer mentioned. “Clearly, the subsequent Olympics is in [Los Angeles]. Will we see you play flag soccer in 2028?”
“Hopefully, we’ll be on the market,” Kaepernick mentioned, with amusing. “We’re going to work on some issues and see if we are able to make it in there, however we’d like to be on the market.”
Given the distinction between “actual” soccer and its flag-based variant, it’s truly not a stretch to suppose that Kaepernick might sneak his method onto the Olympic staff.
And had he left it at that, he in all probability wouldn’t be having formerly-favorable shops calling him “delusional.” (Extra on this shortly.)
“And can we see you play [in the] NFL once more?” the interviewer requested.
A barely extra pensive Kaepernick rapidly gathered his ideas earlier than answering: “We’re nonetheless coaching. We’re nonetheless pushing. So, hopefully, we, uh, simply obtained to get one in every of these staff house owners to open up.”
The interviewer swiftly adopted up, asking, “What would it not imply to you to play [in the] NFL once more?”
“I imply, it’s one thing I’ve educated my complete life for, so with the ability to step again on that subject, I believe that might be a significant second, a significant accomplishment for me,” Kaepernick responded. “Additionally, I believe it’s one thing that I might carry quite a bit to a staff and assist them win a championship.”
The dialog pivoted away from soccer at that time, however the response to Kaepernick’s latest comeback attempt was telling.
Even shops which have traditionally been sympathetic to Kaepernick’s unfounded claims of being “blackballed” from the league, urged the previous quarterback to surrender.
Take, as an illustration, a moderately scathing critique from left-leaning Mike Florio‘s Professional Soccer Discuss:
Colin Kaepernick says he nonetheless desires to play within the NFL. Greater than seven years since he final performed, it comes off as delusional. https://t.co/bLpbVFZkm6
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 13, 2024
“Colin Kaepernick says he nonetheless desires to play within the NFL,” Professional Soccer Discuss’s official X account posted. “Greater than seven years since he final performed, it comes off as delusional.”
(And sure, you’ll be able to see simply how sympathetic Florio and his crew nonetheless are to Kaepernick should you learn your complete article.)
Kaepernick turned a infamous family title when, in 2016, the then-benched 49ers quarterback started protesting through the singing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” He first sat through the anthem, earlier than selecting to kneel for it.
Whereas Kaepernick claimed that he was doing it within the title of social justice, many critics construed his antics as a last-ditch stunt to remain related.
The 36-year-old Kaepernick final performed an NFL sport on Jan. 1, 2017.
This text appeared initially on The Western Journal.
