There have been many quarterbacks signed this offseason, and not all of them were particularly good on the field last year. Heck, Mike Glennon didn’t even play -- and got a three-year, $45 million contract from the Bears with $18M guaranteed. Which begs the question: Why is Colin Kaepernick, who was not entirely terrible during the 2016 season, still unsigned?
The general belief is that Kaepernick hasn’t found employment because of his stance last year about sitting down or kneeling during the national anthem.
Spike Lee, famous director and noted sports enthusiast, recently hung out with Kaepernick and posted on Instagram that it’s “mad fishy” that Kaepernick hasn’t been able to get a job yet.
Kaepernick was in the news again this weekend when he helped to raise over $1 million for the people of Somalia. And he has also said that he doesn’t plan to sit or kneel during the national anthem in 2017, instead choosing to stand before games.
It was a surprising, but perhaps not that surprising, decision for Kaepernick. That said, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that teams have shied away from the quarterback.
Many NFL owners tilt towards being conservative by nature. And the team Lee targeted for Kaepernick to play for -- the New York Jets -- are owned by Woody Johnson, a longtime Republican donor who endorsed Donald Trump for president. He has since been nominated by Trump to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. Vice President Mike Pence watched a game with Johnson during the 2016 season, and his running mate at the time, Trump, has criticized Kaepernick for not standing up for the anthem. (Kaepernick criticized both Trump and Hillary Clinton previously.)
Lee believes there has been some “shenanigans” and “subterfuge” involved in Kaepernick not getting a job. And, again, likes him to play for the Jets.
“The New York J-E-T-S Need A Quarterback. Who Is The J-E-T-S Quarterback? Is My Man Joe Willie Namath Coming Back? Crazy Times We Live In,” Lee wrote on Instagram. “The Question Remains What Owner And GM Is Going To Step Up And Sign Colin So Their Team Has A Better Chance To WIN? What Crime Has Colin Committed? Look At The QB’s Of All 32 Teams. This Is Some Straight Up Shenanigans,Subterfuge, Skullduggery And BS.”
The Jets have also been linked to Jay Cutler who, it is very much worth noting, also remains unemployed. Much of the Kaepernick skepticism cropped up when Geno Smith reportedly agreed to a deal with the Giants, as people wondered how Smith and not Kaepernick could land a job in the NFL. Smith likely will be competing with Josh Johnson to back up Eli Manning.
Kaepernick previously opted out of his contract with the 49ers to become a free agent this offseason.
