Colin Kaepernick is eager to get back on the field.
While promoting his new Netflix series “Colin in Black & White,” the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback said that he is “absolutely” ready to resume his professional football career. “I am still up at 5 a.m. training five, six days a week making sure I’m prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again,” he told Ebony. “That’s not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment.”
Kaepernick added, “The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I’m gonna be persistent here.”
Back in 2016, Kaepernick began protesting against police brutality, racial injustice and systemic oppression by kneeling during the playing of the national anthem. His actions sparked backlash and people said that the 33-year-old was disrespecting the flag and military troops.
The year following his protests, he opted out of his contract with the 49ers, however, he has not been able to sign with any other team since then. In 2017, he and Eric Reid filed grievances against the NFL, accusing the owners of conspiring to block them from signing with a team. A little less than two years later, the pair settled with the league for an undisclosed amount.
Throughout all that has transpired, Kaepernick is still willing to play the game. “You’re gonna have to continue to deny me and do so in a public way. And you’re gonna expose yourself by that, but it won’t be because I’m not ready or not prepared,” he told Ebony.
“But in that process, I’m also not gonna let you bury my future,” Kaep added. “I’m gonna continue to do work on the acting and producing side, continue to do the work with Know Your Rights, and make sure we are having an impact. I think that’s the beauty of us collectively — we are not one-dimensional.”