Development of new football leagues may provide an opportunity for Colin Kaepernick to get back on the field. The previously-failed XFL will attempt a comeback that’s due to kick off in January or February of next year. Michael McCarthy of the Sporting News reported the XFL contacted Kaepernick in the fall about joining their league.
Kaepernick hasn’t played football since he opted out of his contract after the 2016 season. A market never surfaced for the quarterback after he protested police violence and racial injustice during the national anthem throughout the 2016 campaign.
The quarterback, along with Panthers safety Eric Reid who also kneeled with Kaepernick, sued the league for colluding to keep them out of the NFL. That lawsuit was settled privately in early February. The terms of the settlement were undisclosed.
It’s hard to imagine the XFL landing a player more talented than the former 49ers’ signal caller. He posted a career 88.9 passer rating in 58 starts. His 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions are good for the fourth-best touchdown-to-interception ratio in league history. His interception rate of 1.8 percent is tied with Tom Brady for the second best mark ever.
Kaepernick’s play certainly declined as he battled through injuries and adjusted to defenses game-planning for his diverse skill set. His numbers dipped across the board from 2014 to 2015, and consistency issues plagued him once he returned from multiple offseason surgeries in 2016. However, he’s still an NFL-caliber quarterback, which is likely more than any other signal caller in the XFL would be able to say.
It’ll be interesting to see what the 31-year-old opts to do with his football career. He hasn’t taken a snap in over two years, and it appears his NFL career is over. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he decides to forego football to focus on his philanthropic work in the community. On the other hand, if he does truly want to suit up again, it may have to come in a newly-developed, minor league like the XFL.
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