Colin Kaepernick made headlines recently after settling his collusion case with the NFL tied up to his kneeling protests. The 31-year-old quarterback who last played for the San Francisco 49ers reportedly got close to $100 million although the actual numbers have yet to be confirmed.
Regardless, the important thing to note here is that Colin Kaepernick won the battle against the NFL and was rewarded handsomely for his troubles. With an undisclosed fortune now in his hands, would another stint in the football field be in the works?
Before digging into future NFL playing stints, Kaepernick is now getting his share of backlash with some branding him as a “sellout”, TMZ Sports reported. Former NFL star Larry Johnson believes that his case with the NFL was more about exposing racism than reaching a fat settlement.
As of this writing, Kaepernick (or his legal counsel) have yet to respond to those accusations. He could eventually air his side or probably not. Based on his smile after the settlement, it may hardly matter. But will the issue finally pave the way for him to make his return to the NFL circuit?
According to his lawyer Mark Geragos, the answer is yes. However, it may no longer be a starting role (for now) seeing how most teams are set with their younger and rising quarterbacks. Among the teams mentioned as possible next stops include the 49ers, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots and the Carolina Panthers, NBC Sports reported.
Of the teams mentioned, only the Patriots and the Raiders may be feasible options. New England is expected to be looking for a successor to Tom Brady, their longtime quarterback who is nearing retirement. While Brady says he will play until he is 45, it depends on how long his body can take the physical beating of professional football.
The Raiders, on the other hand, could be a destination with coach Jon Gruden known for bringing in multiple quarterbacks to camp. Kaepernick could be a tempting addition over current backups AJ McCarron and Nathan Peterman over in Oakland.
Kaepernick is tied with Brady for the second-lowest interception percentage in NFL history. But there are concerns about his health and how he can fit in with a new team. Kaepernick has not played since 2016.
