Let me preface this by saying that I am not backtracking on my support of NFL players peacefully protesting when and how they see fit. I still respect anyone expressing his or her First Amendment rights, regardless of how I may feel personally. This is not a critique of Colin Kaepernick the man, his beliefs, or his method of political activism. This is an analysis of Kaepernick the player, what he would bring to an NFL team, and why he remains unsigned.
Colin Kaepernick is a distraction.
Let’s be honest with ourselves here and try to take the politics out of it for now. Kaepernick comes with an overwhelming media storm and a rabid fan base that will demand he starts no matter the circumstance. Kaepernick’s situation is very Tebow-esque.
Remember when fan-favorite Tim Tebow was traded from the Broncos to the Jets? Any time you turned on the television or went online for sports media it was TEBOW TEBOW TEBOW until the cows came home. Constant questions about when he would start were all anyone talked about despite the fact Tebow was an atrocious passer.
Why was this the case? Well, Tebow had become a celebrity backup quarterback. Exactly what Colin Kaepernick would be. Yes, I said backup. A backup at best. Even at the height of his career, it was painfully obvious Kaepernick was a very limited passer. Sure, he could huck the ball 900 MPH and run like the wind, but once you eliminated that 1st receiving option he became simple to defend.
Since then, his ability has regressed dramatically and he has not played a snap of football since 2016. Athletic enough to be in the League, but not more than a backup at best. That’s what it comes down to, really. No NFL coach is going to want to field unrelenting questions regarding the backup quarterback, and the constant media pressure to have him play. Let’s be real, the media isn’t going to be satisfied until he actually starts.
It’s one thing to have a defensive end, a cornerback, or a wide receiver garner massive media attention. They’re critical pieces for sure, but the quarterback is the most important player on and off the field for a franchise. Yes, there have been and will continue to be celebrity quarterbacks like a Tom Brady or a Russell Wilson, but they are the starters.
While I firmly believe this is mainly a major media distraction story, there is still a major political element here among sizeable portions of NFL fans. Although it may not bother me when players protest during the national anthem, I do recognize that many are not. There would be significant fan backlash for any team that isn’t a progressive west coast organization that signed Kaepernick. No owner wants to alienate any part of their fans.
Speaking of owners, the idea that there is some grand conspiratorial collusion to keep Kaepernick out of the NFL is hogwash. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may not like the protests, but I find it very difficult to believe he is leading secret Legion of Doom-type meetings with the other owners as if he were Lex Luthor trying to keep Kaepernick unemployed. It doesn’t take owners discussing with each other to see they wouldn’t want a distracting celebrity as their backup quarterback. They can see that for themselves.
