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The NFL will do everything but actually give Colin Kaepernick a job
Colin Kaepernick is back in Madden 21 after a five-year hiatus.
The former 49ers quarterback is now the top free-agent in the game with an 81 overall rating. This places him in the top-15 of the QB rankings.
— Madden NFL 23 (@EAMaddenNFL) September 8, 2020
“Knowing that our EA SPORTS experiences are platforms for players to create, we want to make Madden NFL a place that reflects Colin’s position and talent, rates him as a starting QB, and empowers our fans to express their hopes for the future of football. We’ve worked with Colin to make this possible, and we’re excited to bring it to all of you today.”
EA Sports has worked with Kaepernick to make this opportunity available to the fans, even adding in his signature Black Power touchdown celebration.
When Colin Kaepernick scores on Madden 21, his signature celebration is a Black Power fist@BRGaming 🎮 @brgridiron
(via @jordanheckff)pic.twitter.com/GDZu8rS05o
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 8, 2020
Amazingly, Kaepernick’s in-game statistics are somehow higher than his last appearance in Madden 17.
Unfortunately, it seems as if all the gears are turning for Kaepernick except for him actually having a job. The quarterback has yet to sign with an NFL team and has not taken a snap since the 2016 season.
Remember back in June when interested teams were supposedly talking to "friends and associates" of Colin Kaepernick before contacting his agent? They didn't contact his agent. And still haven't. https://t.co/X1gHq0CPZe
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 7, 2020
Following a series of PR-like press workouts, reports arose that teams were interested in signing Kaepernick. As of September 2020, not a single team has put pen to paper.
According to NFL Media, teams had contacted “friends and associates” of Kaepernick, and they would be contacting his agent when they “get to the point where they’re confident enough that they think they can work out a contract.”
Unsurprisingly, nothing ever saw the light of day.
It seems as if the league has been publishing these reports and organizing these press events in order to save some face. After all, the last thing that they want is to appear antagonistic towards one of the largest activists in the world.
#bringbackkap pic.twitter.com/nLfYYSfZSb
— Nike Football (@usnikefootball) September 8, 2020
To make it even more bizarre, 41-year-old quarterback Josh McCown recently signed a backup deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The strange thing is that he doesn’t actually have to show up to work.
McCown will be paid $12,000 weekly to stay at home and remain “on-call” in case of an emergency.
Philadelphia is signing 41-year-old QB Josh McCown to its practice squad and making him oldest practice squad player in NFL history, league sources tell ESPN. McCown will live in Texas, make $12,000 a week and serve as the Eagles’ emergency QB.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 6, 2020
The problem is not McCown’s contract, nor the fact that he is in his early 40’s. The real issue is that if a journeyman player like McCown can sign this “on-call” type of deal, how can a proven, in-shape, Super Bowl quarterback like Kaepernick remain unemployed?
It is a strange series of events that seem to keep twisting and turning. There is positive light though, with EA Sports recognizing and promoting Kaepernick’s off-field activism. This has arguably been a more important step in his career than any championship run could be.
#YouCantStopUs pic.twitter.com/gsbtqSXBtN
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) July 30, 2020
We reluctantly hope that Kaepernick will find a job in the near future. If not, he’s got better things on his plate.