Former 49ers Star Colin Kaepernick Ready To Play; Will The NFL Come Calling
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The NFL is now facing public pressure to put Colin Kaepernick back in the league, to show that it serious about addressing racial inequality.
The 32-year-old former 49ers quarterback is more motivated than ever, and training as if he'll be on the 2020 roster, according to TMZ Sports.
Kaepernick last held a workout in November to show his readiness for the NFL, but he wasn't signed.
"Well don't apologize, give Colin Kaepernick a job back!" said Reverend Al Sharpton at George Floyd's funeral.
Sharpton called out NFL Commissionner Roger Goodell on behalf of Kaepernick in his fiery eulogy.
"Don't come with some empty apology, take a man's livelihood, strip a man down of his talents and four years later when the whole world is marching, all of a sudden you go and do a FaceTime, talking about you sorry," he added.
Matt Kolsky, co-host on 95.7 The Game is doubtful Kaepernick will sign with a team, despite his abilities.
"Today, I believe he's capable of doing the job - better than guys who are currently on NFL rosters, so in my mind that says he ought to be on a roster," said Kolsky. "But I believe the NFL will use the excuse that he has not played professional football in two or three years as a way to not sign him, while still pretending that they care about the issues."
Referencing Goodell's apology, New Orleans Saints player Malcolm Jenkins says the NFL has fallen short.
"Until they apologize, specifically, to Colin Kaepernick, or assign him to a team, I don't think that they will end up on the right side of history," said Jenkins. "At the end of the day, they've listened to their players, they've donated money, they've created an Inspire Change platform; they've tried to do things up to this point. But it's been one player in particular that they have ignored and not acknowledged, and that's Colin Kaepernick."
Kaepernick reached a settlement with the NFL last year over claims he was denied football jobs because of of his protests.
Terms of the payout, thought to be in the millions, were never released.
