Adam Schefter broke the news Wednesday that the Las Vegas Raiders are working out Colin Kaepernick this week for a potential spot on their roster. If he were able to make the team, it would be Kaepernick’s return to the NFL for the first time since 2016.
Colin Kaepernick, who last played football in 2016, the same year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, is scheduled to work out this week for the Las Vegas Raiders, league sources told ESPN.
More on NFL Live now. pic.twitter.com/zAuWybhILx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 25, 2022
It was assumed by many that the NFL would never welcome Kaepernick back after he began kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest social injustice across America. The quarterback also faced plenty of criticism from other players and media members.
However, the door was opened last month when Raiders owner Mark Davis said Kaepernick “deserves every chance in the world to become a quarterback in the National Football League” and that he “would welcome him with open arms” onto the Raiders roster.
The big question is whether or not Davis is serious about bringing Kapernick on or if this is some kind of classic Raiders franchise move to thumb its nose at the NFL.
There are also questions surrounding whether or not the 34-year-old is still capable of playing at an NFL level given that he’s been out of the league for six years. We’ve seen that he still has arm strength, but there’s more to it to playing in the league.
The QB has been adamant that he still has what it takes and would be happy to accept a backup role in order to prove it. That would be pretty likely if he were to make the Raiders roster as they just re-signed Derek Carr to a massive extension.
We’ll see how it all plays out for Colin, the Raiders, and the NFL. But in the meantime, there were some very strong reactions to the news when it was announced.
Now it’s real. They bring you into the facility, there’s real intention there. https://t.co/gnQ3YebPRR
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) May 25, 2022
He’ll actually get a legit shot with the Raiders. https://t.co/FComFczISG
— mike freeman (@mikefreemanNFL) May 25, 2022
It's been six years. That's nuts. https://t.co/gzAlHVEmsf
— Andreas Hale (@AndreasHale) May 25, 2022
This announcement comes on the day Jon Gruden is in court over emails. Timing purely a coincidence, of course https://t.co/7pWTx8mbyO
— Jason McIntyre (@jasonrmcintyre) May 25, 2022
About time. https://t.co/ivwnaFYLBV
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) May 25, 2022
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.