When Aaron Rodgers’ foot bent awkwardly under his body while being sacked on his fourth play as a New York Jet Monday night, not only did his Achilles tendon tear, but it also tore the hopes and dreams of Jet fans and the team’s front office. The Jets spent the offseason loading up an already talented roster in hopes of riding a late-stage Aaron Rodgers to their first Super Bowl since the first Super Bowl.
Now, with Rodgers officially done for the season, the next step will be securing a backup to the once-backup, now starter Zach Wilson. That is easier said than done, as essentially anyone worthy of calling the signals in an NFL huddle is already drawing a paycheck.
However, that hasn’t stopped the usual speculation surrounding one former NFL star turned unemployed quarterback. It seems as though every time an injury occurs to an NFL quarterback, one name is bandied about, mostly by the race-baiters and race-hustlers on social media and in the sports media as well.
It has been reported that Colin Kaepernick’s agent has reached out to the New York Jets, offering his unwanted services in the franchise’s time of need. Never mind the fact that Kaepernick hasn’t thrown an NFL pass since 2016, and even then, he was disastrously bad.
When Colin Kaepernick last played in the NFL, his stint with the San Francisco 49ers was a disaster. The team offered him a contract after the season, which he declined despite the narrative that he was blackballed for his inflammatory social justice posturing.
Since then, Kaepernick has been busy partnering with Nike, a brand that reportedly uses slave labor in Pacific Rim countries, making documentaries comparing the NFL Draft to slave auctions, and in between times, turning down contacts to play from the Canadian Football League, and the fledgling Alliance of American Football.
When the former quarterback finally received another shot at a workout by the league in 2019, all 32 teams were invited to attend, yet Kaepernick ditched the official workout at the Falcons training facility and moved it to a site of his choosing. It’s a small wonder a team wouldn’t bring on a headache of his magnitude.
Now, at age 36, Kaepernick is still seeking another shot, albeit an undeserved one. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported: “I just spoke with Colin Kaepernick, who tells me his agent has reached out to the #Jets about his desire to make an NFL return. Kaepernick remains on the West Coast working out.”
It didn’t take long for the Jets to decide they didn’t want to take on the burden of Colin Kaepernick. Another NFL insider, Josina Anderson, reported: “The Jets are not pursuing Colin Kaepernick to address their immediate need for QB depth. I’m told they’ll look to at least narrow down their options today. The current* mindset is to bring a QB in who fits the chemistry of Zach Wilson being the guy, & knows system &/or staff.”
It is unlikely Kaepernick would be willing to accept a backup role, as he still thinks he is an elite talent. However, it is no longer 2013, and once the league figured out how to stop his gimmicky style of play, his deficiencies as a passer were evident, and his level of play fell off completely.
Players simply aren’t as fast and strong in their late 30s, and when a quarterback is heavily dependent on making plays with their aging legs as Kaepernick would be, there is simply no reason to roll the dice and upset whatever team chemistry is left in the Jets locker room.
This reasonably should be the last time we see his name brought up, and undoubtedly the race baiters will be out in force crying foul, but the Jets are right to not even entertain the notion of Colin Kaepernick.
