Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, has reached out to the New York Jets general manager, expressing his desire to join the team's practice squad.
This news was shared by rapper J. Cole on Tuesday. Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016, has been a prominent figure in the league's racial justice protests and many believe he was unfairly sidelined by team owners due to his political activism.
J. Cole shared a copy of the letter Kaepernick sent to the Jets last week, in which he outlined his case for joining the team. This request comes after the Jets' star quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, suffered a season-ending achilles tear just four snaps into the season. However, Kaepernick did not ask to be the backup to quarterback Zach Wilson. Instead, he expressed his willingness to join the practice squad, a group of 16 players who are not on the team's full roster but are primarily used in practice sessions. This group usually consists of undrafted free agents and developmental players.
In the letter, Kaepernick stated, "I would be honored and extremely grateful for the opportunity to come in and lead the practice squad. I would do this with the sole mission of getting your defense ready each week." This demonstrates his commitment to contributing to the team's success, even if it means taking on a lesser role.
Since his release from the 49ers in 2016, Kaepernick has made multiple attempts to rejoin the NFL. However, despite trying out for various teams, he has never received a contract offer. In 2017, he filed a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging a blackballing scheme, which was later settled for an undisclosed amount.
Kaepernick acknowledged the Jets' hope for their rookie quarterback, Zach Wilson, to excel and lead the team to the Super Bowl. He expressed confidence in Wilson's abilities but offered himself as a risk-free contingency plan in case things don't go as planned.
The Jets, who currently have a record of 1-2 this season, have faced criticism for their poor performance with Wilson at quarterback. As a result, they recently signed veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian to their practice squad.
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