Colin Kaepernick Insists True ‘Closure’ Involves Him Playing In The NFL Again

Colin Kaepernick‘s chapter with the NFL may not be completely closed yet, at least that is what he thinks!

The former professional football quarterback shared his thoughts on the current situation of the NFL and the prospects of his return to the league, not necessarily to play, but to get a desired ending to his run on the field.

Colin Kaepernick played his final NFL game on New Year’s Day 2017 and officially became a free agent following active protests against racial injustice and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem during the 2016 season.

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The athlete said during an interview ahead of the release of his new book, “The Perilous Fight,” on Tuesday, September 15, that finding closure with the league is still possible.

“I think closure would be being back on the field and given the opportunity to continue my career unimpeded by their efforts. I mean, outside of that, I don’t think there’s ever really closure there when your career is taken away,” the former footballer explained. 

Kaepernick added that, beyond his wish for closure, he still doesn’t feel anything was finished the right way because his career was suddenly taken away from him.

Since the incident, the former footballer said his mentality throughout the episode is that he is responsible for his actions, not what the league decided to do.

He added that he knows he can continue training and show up, focusing on his life outside the NFL to move forward from his past. Kaepernick emphasized that his eyes remain set on building and looking at ways to continue advancing society through activism.

The activist told US Weekly that he was grateful for the opportunity to shift his focus to a bigger cause, which has made coping with the scandal a bit easier and less burdensome.

The Former San Francisco 49ers Player Took Stock Of His Viral Protest A Decade Ago

Kaepernick broke the internet and made headlines 10 years ago when he took a knee during the national anthem. The athlete’s gesture was a protest against police brutality, racism, and the political climate in America.

As a result, it led to his exit from the league, and earlier in September, he reflected on that moment and how things had panned out for him. As noted by The Blast, Kaepernick admitted during a promo run for his memoir with NBC News that he has not seen a single game since that incident 10 years ago.

He stressed that an organization actively blackballing him and his brothers does not deserve his support; instead, he channeled his energy into college football. The former footballer noted that much work still needs to be done, and he has no intention of giving up his fight against brutality and these ills.

Kaepernick also corrected a lingering narrative that Nate Boyer suggested he took a knee, clarifying that it was actually his former teammate at the 49ers, Eric Reid, who suggested they protest by taking a knee.

More From The Blast

• Colin Kaepernick sought a second opinion on a Black student found hanging on a tree.
• The former footballer said in a letter to the New York Jets that he never quit his training regimen in support of an NFL return.
• He recalled how his white adoptive parents pushed back on his “blackness” while growing up.
• His partner Nessa gushed over him when they welcomed their baby in 2022.
• Snoop Dogg tried to intervene by calling for the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign Kaepernick after their star QB Ben Roethlisberger got injured.
• Singer Mariah Carey said meeting him was an “honor.”

Colin Kaepernick Revealed Some Inner Politics Thwarted His Career

The former football player received applause and praise for his bravery and decision to use his voice on such a huge platform; however, the blowback that followed from certain quarters was astonishing.

Kaepernick revealed that the action made him a free agent in 2017, and despite coming down from the high of winning a Super Bowl and an NFC Championship, alongside setting many records, no team was willing to work with him.

He explained that he couldn’t even get a team to bring him in for workouts or game trials; even when some coaches tried to go against the grain, higher authorities shut them down. 

Kaepernick identified former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who told him in confidence that he was about to sign him, but authorities behind the scenes blocked the move.

The 38-Year-Old Weighed In On His Former Pal Jay-Z’s Recent Freestyle

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Kaepernick reacted to a recent freestyle performance this summer by Jay Z in which he referenced the former athlete. The move suggested that things were not well between the rapper and the former football player, as Jay Z also defended his business decisions and criticized people who questioned them.

As Cleveland noted, Jay Z released an exclusive version of his landmark album “Reasonable Doubt” through Target, leading to criticism and a boycott from some consumers.

Kaepernick said he intends to support these boycott efforts by ensuring his upcoming memoir will not be sold through Target stores.

The former footballer noted that his promotion efforts will include partnerships with Black-owned businesses and organizations. Kaepernick continued in his interview with NBC that Jay Z has remained sensitive to the public backlash and has done everything he can to reshape public perception of his business decision.

Jay Z has publicly supported Kaepernick’s actions in 2016 when he bent the knee while singing the national anthem. He even dedicated several performances to him and praised his actions when he was a free agent in the NFL.

Colin Kaepernick Once Offered The New York Jets A Low-Risk Plan To Revive His NFL Career

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The 38-year-old, as The Blast noted in 2023, made a direct push to return to the NFL by offering to help the team while they dealt with Aaron Rodgers’s injury.

In a September 2023 letter, he wrote to then-Jets general manager Joe Douglas that while Zach Wilson has been tasked with keeping the team on its feet, he still has concerns about his readiness.

Kaepernick made a proposal in the letter to join the team’s practice squad rather than competing for a backup role. The former footballer offered himself a reliable, low-risk plan, adding that he never actually retired from the game or ever stopped preparing for a comeback. 

He said in the letter that he has maintained a consistent morning routine five days a week for the past six years while waiting for another opportunity to reemerge in the league.

The letter caught rapper J. Cole’s attention, and he later posted it on Instagram with Kaepernick’s permission, prompting supportive reactions from fans who urged the Jets to give him a chance.