Kaepernick To Audition For NFL Teams On Saturday
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Colin Kaepernick plans to audition for NFL teams on Saturday in a private workout arranged by the league to be held in Atlanta.
The exiled former Pro Bowl quarterback posted on Twitter: "I'm just getting word from my representatives that the NFL league office reached out to them about a workout in Atlanta on Saturday. I've been in shape and ready for this for 3 years, can't wait to see the head coaches and GMs on Saturday."
The NFL hasn't confirmed Kaepernick's workout details.
A person familiar with the plans told The Associated Press the league's decision to invite all 32 teams to watch Kaepernick "came out of the blue with no prior communication." The person said Kaepernick's team was given a two-hour window to accept the invitation and was denied a request to schedule the tryout on a Tuesday or another Saturday.
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Kaepernick's representatives have asked the league to provide a rolling list of teams that plan to attend the workout to ensure it's a "legitimate process," according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because details haven't been made public.
Kaepernick hasn't played since 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers. He helped start a wave of protests about social and racial injustice that season by kneeling during the national anthem at games.
The NFL in February settled a collusion grievance Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid filed against the league. Reid now plays for the Carolina Panthers.
The question could soon be, does Kaepernick, now 32, still have the skills to play in the NFL? CBS2's Otis Livingston posed that question to veteran Newsday NFL columnist Bob Glauber on Wednesday.
"I don't know if he has a chance of playing this season. It's getting late in the year. But if there are quarterback injuries and a team is desperate enough, I think they would consider it," Glauber said. "And they get a chance to actually interview him to talk about things they're concerned about -- ie: would he still kneel for the national anthem, which I assume he would. They could at least get an idea of where he's at mentally and physically."
The Giants said they will have a representative at the workout, but the Jets haven't announced their intentions. Both teams are set at quarterback with youngsters Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold, respectively, but the idea of Kaepernick as a backup for one down the road isn't out of the realm of possibility.
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Jets head coach Adam Gase was asked Wednesday about his team's interest in attending the audition.
"I gotta worry about this week. That's what my job is. That's a question for the personnel guys," Gase said.
Kaepernick's session will be closed to the public and members of the media.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
