Team Kaepernick Capitalizes on Rodgers Injury: Is the Anthem Protester Returning to the NFL?
Is Colin Kaepernick a top 32 quarterback in today’s NFL?
Despite not having played an NFL snap since Jan. 1, 2017, the former San Francisco 49er and his supporters have clung tight to the idea that he should be a quarterback in the league — and preferably a starter.
The funny thing is, when the league has its full assortment of starting quarterbacks, you don’t hear the outcries about Kaepernick nearly as much — suggesting that the man who brought us national anthem protests is not, in fact, a top 32 quarterback in 2023.
However, the NFL decidedly does not have its full assortment of starting quarterbacks with the catastrophic Achilles rupture that New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered on “Monday Night Football” against the Buffalo Bills.
The 39-year-old Rodgers will miss the rest of this season — and possibly beyond, given the severity of his injury and his relatively advanced sports age.
But while Jets fans were wallowing in misery in the immediate aftermath of the Rodgers injury (the team would go on to win the game in thrilling — and controversial — fashion in overtime), some NFL punditry saw the perfect chance to push the idea of Kaepernick suiting up in the NFL after over six years.
One of the most vocal proponents of the 35-year-old political activist’s return to the football field came from former ESPN host Jemele Hill in a poorly veiled social media post.
“There’s a QB right there in New Jersey who took a team to a Super Bowl and a NFC championship game,” Hill said Monday night, conveniently leaving out that Kaepernick accomplished all that two whole presidential administrations ago.
And in case there was any doubt about to whom she was referring, she added: “Rhymes with Happernick.”
There’s a QB right there in New Jersey who took a team to a Super Bowl and a NFC championship game. Rhymes with Happernick.
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2023
When called out on X that when NFL fans last saw Kaepernick, he was struggling to keep a starting position against 49ers journeyman backup Blaine Gabbert, Hill went on the defensive:
Think you mean the same QB who was hurt and then reclaimed his starting spot as soon as he was healthy. I know this will shock you, but most QBs need to be surrounded with good players. And when he no longer had that terrific defense in his last season, he threw ::checks notes::… https://t.co/cl23GTDMDT
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 12, 2023
Well, it appears that Hill’s prognosticating might be a precursor to the real thing.
NFL reporter Jordan Schultz reported Tuesday that Kaepernick was ready to be a Jet.
“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,” Schultz posted on X. “Kaepernick remains on the West Coast working out.”
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. pic.twitter.com/4yQ0FASqBh
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 12, 2023
It remains to be seen if the Jets have reciprocated any of that same interest, as the team has not announced how it plans to replace Rodgers on the depth chart.
The current backup and nominal starter, Zach Wilson, is largely derided as a massive bust, so the team could certainly shop for an improvement.
But it’s not clear that Kaepernick would be a demonstrable improvement over other unemployed quarterbacks who have played — at a high level — more recently than him.
Carson Wentz, Nick Foles and Matt Ryan are among the names available on the free-agent market.
NorthJersey.com also noted that Joe Flacco is an “obvious answer” since he spent the last three seasons with the Jets, including four starts last year.
There is also the chance that former New England Patriot and Tampa Bay Buccaneer Tom Brady could spontaneously decide to unretire again.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic reported Tuesday afternoon that the team has “started to reach out to veteran free-agent quarterbacks.”
The New York Jets have started to reach out to veteran free-agent quarterbacks, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) September 12, 2023
If the Jets do add another quarterback, the team will have precious little time to integrate him, as the team travels to Dallas to face the high-powered Cowboys on Sunday.
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