Free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines this week. Kaepernick wrote a letter to New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas, which was published to social media by the rapper J. Cole, asking for a shot to be on the team’s practice squad.
The Jets are in need of a quarterback in the fallout of Aaron Rodgers getting hurt just four plays into the 2023 NFL season. Zach Wilson has been a below-average starter with veteran journeyman Tim Boyle as his backup. Having not played in the NFL for seven years, the Jets didn’t take Kaepernick up on that offer in the end, instead signing Trevor Siemian.
However, another professional team has now indicated their interest in Kaepernick. That would be the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League, with TSN’s Farhan Lalji reporting Thursday that the Lions have added Kaepernick to their negotiation list:
The @BCLions have put Colin Kaepernick on their negotiation list. @SportsCentre pic.twitter.com/QT0lw8efqr
— Farhan Lalji (@FarhanLaljiTSN) September 28, 2023
Those in the sports world were quick to react to Kaepernick’s surprising new offer.
He hasn't played in 7 years or so? Seems like a wasted spot on the negotiation list. https://t.co/QvsapuhSJm
— Ravi (@ravira) September 28, 2023
Again? I remember when Wally put him on the neg list before his NFL Draft. https://t.co/GUhckA7KsG
— Jim Mullin 🇺🇦 (@Jim_MullinTV) September 28, 2023
The @BCLions always a step ahead of rest when it comes to QB'S . Wow #CFL #Kaepernick https://t.co/pOmjS2hFdb
— Gabriel Morency (@sportsrage) September 28, 2023
Oh my goodness.
Yes please. #CFL https://t.co/J6D4aU8skH— Troy Westwood (@TroyWestwood) September 28, 2023
If Colin Kaepernick does decide to go the CFL route in 2024, the BC Lions would have first dibs, sorta like a waiver wire.
That would be for the 2024 CFL season. #CFL https://t.co/SPwDsvPgsU
— Spring Football Zone (@SpringFBZone) September 28, 2023
Omg that’s hilarious!!!! Sorry.. not sorry https://t.co/SlmagzsEPT
— Miss Marcia (@MarciaOnTheGo) September 28, 2023
Adding a player to the negotiation list doesn’t mean much for CFL franchises. It merely means that if that player comes to the CFL, they either have to sign with the team that has them neg-listed or convince that team to trade their rights to a different preferred destination.
This isn’t even the first time the former San Francisco 49ers star has been on a CFL team’s negotiation list. Kaepernick was on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ negotiation list from March to September 2017. The team dropped him even though his agent said Kaepernick had no interest in playing in the Canadian Football League at that time. Later that month, the Montreal Alouettes added Kaepernick to their negotiation list and contacted his agent, but they were not able to reach an agreement.
[Farhan Lalji on X]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.