The only way that Colin is taking a team to the Super Bowl is he be the dude driving the bus.
He got the opportunity to freely express himself, and the NFL got their turn to express themselves - the NFL won.
Colin Kaepernick's agent slams Hall of Famer Warren Sapp for calling the quarterback's recent workout with the Raiders 'a disaster': 'It's not true and you'd think he'd want Kap on a team'
Colin Kaepernick's agent is taking aim at Hall of Famer Warren Sapp's assertion that the free agent QB's recent workout with the Las Vegas Raiders as a 'disaster'
Kaepernick agent Jeff Nalley told Pro Football Talk: 'I'm surprised Warren would say that, because it's not true and you would think he would want Kap on a team'
Kaepernick worked out for the Raiders in May, but didn't receiver an offer
Sapp, who spent three seasons with the Oakland Raiders before the club moved to Las Vegas, recently said the 34-year-old free agent struggled in his workout
Sapp: 'I heard it was a disaster. I heard it was one of the worst workouts ever'
Other reports said the workout went well and Kaepernick showed a strong arm
By ALEX RASKIN SPORTS NEWS EDITOR PUBLISHED: 11:44 EDT, 27 June 2022 | UPDATED: 12:34 EDT, 27 June 2022
Colin Kaepernick's agent is taking aim at Hall of Famer Warren Sapp's assertion that the free agent quarterback's recent workout with the Las Vegas Raiders as a 'disaster.'
'I guess Warren didn't talk to the General Manager [Dave Zieger] or the head coach [Josh McDaniels],' Kaepernick agent Jeff Nalley told Pro Football Talk. 'I spoke to the GM several times and he said they all thought Kap was in great shape and threw the ball really well and encouraged any team to call him about the workout and he would tell them the same. 'I'm surprised Warren would say that, because it's not true and you would think he would want Kap on a team.'
Kaepernick worked out for the Raiders last month, but was not rewarded with a contract offer.
Sapp, who spent three seasons with the Oakland Raiders before the club moved to Las Vegas, recently told VladTV that the 34-year-old free agent struggled in his workout. 'I heard it was a disaster,' Sapp said last week. 'I heard it was one of the worst workouts ever. I'm wondering how in the hell this happened and the tape didn't get out, right?'
If he were to be signed, Kaepernick would presumably become a backup to starting Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season, when he ignited a nationwide free speech debate by protesting racist police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem before games.
He claims he's remained in shape, telling Ebony last October that he still wakes up at 5am for training five or six times per week. 'I'm prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again,' Kaepernick said.
The Raiders currently have a starting quarterback in the 31-year-old Carr, who is committed through the 2025 season thanks to a three-year, $121 million extension. However, the Raiders could use the veteran Kaepernick as a reliable backup given his experience guiding the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII in February of 2013.
Kaepernick will have competition for the Raiders' backup job. Las Vegas recently acquired quarterback Jarrett Stidham from New England, where he worked with McDaniels, the now-former Patriots offensive coordinator.
Raiders owner Mark Davis told ESPN in 2020 that he would give his 'blessing' to his front office if the football operations staff wanted to acquire Kaepernick. Davis's late father, Al, was passionate about civil rights and hired the NFL's first African-American and Latino head coaches in Art Shell and Tom Flores, respectively.
Kaepernick was later benched in favor of Blaine Gabbert in 2015 before ultimately reclaiming the starting job in 2016, but 49ers went just 1-10 with him under center. He opted out of his contact in anticipation of his release in March of 2017 and has gone unsigned since.
In 2019, Kaepernick settled a grievance with the NFL for an undisclosed amount after accusing owners of blackballing him in retaliation for the controversial protests. He has been training in hopes of an NFL return, while continuing to raise money for his charity, the Know Your Rights Camp, as well as other entrepreneurial and charitable endeavors.
Although Kaepernick remains an NFL pariah, commissioner Roger Goodell admitted in June of 2021 that the league should have listened to players' concerns about racism sooner, adding that he encouraged teams to sign the former 49ers star.
The league did orchestrate a tryout for Kaepernick in 2019, but that was scuttled after he took issue with the liability waiver the NFL asked him to sign. Sports Illustrated obtained a copy of the NFL's waiver, and according to a piece on SI.com by attorney Michael McCann, the league was effectively asking Kaepernick to sign away his right to sue teams in the future, regardless of whether or not they participated in collusion.
He ultimately arranged for his own workout for a handful of teams instead.
Although Kaepernick was reportedly in great shape and showed good arm strength, he did not receive any offers from NFL teams, despite his experience guiding the 49ers to three NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance. Despite that, he sill remained hopeful for an NFL comeback.
'My desire to play football is still there,' Kaepernick told USA Today in 2020. 'I still train five days a week. I'm ready to go, I'm ready for a phone call, tryout, workout at any point in time. I'm still waiting on the owners and their partners to stop running from this situation. So I hope I get a call this offseason. I'll be looking forward to it.'
The Los Angeles Chargers were keeping tabs on Kaepernick in 2020, according to then-coach Anthony Lynn, who described the embattled quarterback as a good 'fit' for his offense.
'It would be crazy to not have him on your workout list,' Lynn said at the time.
Lynn said that while he hadn't spoken with Kaepernick, he 'fits the style of quarterback for the system that we're going to be running. I'm very confident and happy with the three quarterbacks that I have but you can never have too many people waiting on the runway.'
'It would be something I think any team would have to explore with a talent of that caliber that is available under these circumstances,' Lynn continued.
'I know he has a high IQ at the position. It comes down to physical shape and his ability to do what he does. You can figure out real quick where he is in his career after an intense workout.'
