Spike Lee Holding Rally For Colin Kaepernick At NFL Headquarters
BOSTON (CBS) -- Colin Kaepernick, despite having a better resume than most employed backup quarterbacks in the NFL, remains without a job. That's drawn quite a bit of attention and generated an awful lot of opinions around the country, and it's now gotten Spike Lee to speak out.
The film director and social activist tweeted on Tuesday that he'll be holding a rally for Kaepernick outside of NFL headquarters on Aug. 23.
The image reads, "UNITED WE STAND," though it does appear to misspell Kaepernick's name as "Kapernick."
While such a rally is likely to only inspire more debates around the country, where those who hold opposing viewpoints on Kaepernick's unemployment remain firmly dug in to their beliefs, the fact that it will take place outside of the NFL corporate headquarters means it is sure to make the news and land on commissioner Roger Goodell's radar. The goal is likely to create a scene large enough where it cannot be ignored.
Kaepernick, 29, threw for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions last season. In his career, he's completed 59.8 percent of his passes, throwing for 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions and rushing for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns.
While Kaepernick's starting credentials could be questioned (his 49ers teams went 11-24 in games he started over the past three years), his resume is objectively better than a number of quarterbacks who signed deals this offseason to serve as backups. Other less-qualified quarterbacks remain on rosters, as well. That list includes Austin Davis, David Olson, Ryan Mallett, Kellen Clemens, Scott Tolzien and Trevone Boykin, among others.
He took a knee during the national anthem last season as a show of protest against racial inequality and police brutality. Despite Kaepernick's explanation that his protest in no way was a sign of disrespect to the nation's military, the protest drew the ire of many Americans who did not accept such an explanation.
Largely as a result of that swirling controversy around him, Kaepernick has been unable to find a team to employ him this season -- something that's led to many reporters and analysts stating that Kaepernick is being blackballed by NFL owners.