From OutKick · Bobby Burack · · 1m 20s
Kaepernick comeback talk draws fire
Jemele Hill floated Colin Kaepernick for the Falcons, and OutKick argues the idea makes no football sense.
In brief
Jemele Hill floated Colin Kaepernick for the Falcons, and OutKick argues the idea makes no football sense. The piece argues Kaepernick's decade away from football and the attention around him make an NFL return unrealistic. Originally reported by OutKick.
Kaepernick still trains
Kaepernick told Jemele Hill in Detroit that he still wakes up and trains like an NFL player, waiting for another chance in the league.
“he still believes he can play in the league”
Hill names Atlanta
Hill backed his claim and pointed to the Falcons, framing Atlanta as a Black city and noting the team was thin at quarterback for Week 1.
“Black city”
Rush is imperfect
OutKick argues Cooper Rush is not a star, but he is at least an active NFL quarterback who has played in recent seasons and can function in a game.
“He is functional.”
Ten years matter
The piece says Kaepernick's age and long layoff make a comeback hard to take seriously. He turns 39 in November and has not played pro football in a decade.
“A player cannot simply go from not playing football for a decade to playing professionally”
Distraction beats upside
OutKick says teams passed on Kaepernick because the attention around him outweighed his value, not only because of the anthem protest controversy.
“Teams passed on him because he had become a distraction”
Not Atlanta's answer
The piece closes by saying Atlanta may need a better quarterback than Rush, but Kaepernick would not count as an upgrade now.
“Kaepernick would not be one of those upgrades.”
The takeaway
The piece argues Kaepernick's decade away from football and the attention around him make an NFL return unrealistic.
