Kaepernick’s strange workout for NFL teams

Kaepernick last played in the NFL in 2016.

The NFL’s decision to organize a private workout for Colin Kaepernick last Saturday in Atlanta is not what it looks like.

Mostly, it feels like the NFL is trying to make the quarterback go prove his claims that he is still ready and in shape to play in the National Football League and that they would be able to make him out to be a “liar” of his claims that the only reason he is not in the league is because he is not being treated accordingly because of him standing up for his own beliefs.  

Those were my first thoughts after hearing about the “opportunity” for Colin Kaepernick, the 32-year-old quarterback who has been out of football for more than two seasons, blackballed by the NFL for kneeling during the national anthem in protest of police violence.

The more you look at it, you must consider the NFL played it smart on their part. The fear of Kaepernick pursuing new legal claims that could be stronger than the ones he settled in February left them with no other choice but to invite this workout. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that several executives with teams have reached out as a courtesy to Colin Kaepernick’s representatives saying they could not attend the workout, adding they were confused by the NFL’s purpose in scheduling it on a Saturday and on a five days’ notice.

The NFL knew exactly what they were doing scheduling this work out on a Saturday. All the real decision-makers are scouting college players that have big college games this week or traveling with their clubs for Sunday’s games.

Which is why Kaepernick’s team requested to have it rescheduled for a Tuesday.

But of course, that appeal was denied. The NFL notified him that it was now or never and there was no ultimatum, creating the narrative of a win-win outcome for the NFL. 

Colin Kaepernick was expected to work out Saturday at around 3 p.m. at the Atlanta Falcons training facility, but he was a no show.

After the NFL declined to allow media and cameras into the workout per his request for transparency, the workout was moved to 4 p.m. at Charles Drew High School, a few miles away from his originally planned workout facility.

I think we already know that Colin Kaepernick should still be an NFL quarterback right now, but to prove the people that he still has it, he is showcasing his abilities yet again. 

Kaepernick threw post routes, in routes, out routes, fly routes and even routes in the flat.

It is clear that he wanted to both show off his arm strength and his mobility when it came to play action and rollouts.

He did throw a good number of deep passes, however, and hit on most of them.

The NFL scouts that were there were overly impressed by his arm strength with the deep ball even going as far as to say, “his arm talent is very elite,” and many believe him to be signed at some point if not this season next. But will the NFL allow it? 

After having an impressive workout, Colin addressed the media briefly with a short speech.

He did not take any questions, but did state clearly that the ball is in the NFL’s court, and that he has been waiting for three years now for a call. Seeing the workout, we absolutely see nothing that we have not already known from Kaepernick for the past three years.

A good quarterback, and an extremely good arm. The question is will anyone take a chance on the quarterback that the NFL has created this horrible narrative of? We wait to see.