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Colin Kaepernick hasn't been a part of the NFL since the 2016 season. He played for the San Francisco 49ers and led them to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012, where they eventually lost to the Baltimore Ravens.
The former 49ers quarterback is celebrating his 35th birthday today and journalist Dave Zirin mentioned him in a tweet. He mentioned how Kaepernick was exiled from the league. Here's what Zirin said on Kap's 35th birthday:
"A happy 35th to Colin @Kaepernick7 and yes I can still name binders full of qbs on NFL teams whose skillset is inferior. The exiling of Kaepernick will be a stain on the shield forever."
In 2016, Colin Kaepernick was heavily criticized for taking a knee during the national anthem before NFL games. By taking a knee, Kaepernick was protesting against the police brutality and racial inequality.
After falling out of favor in the 49ers starting lineup, Kaepernick and the team went different ways in 2017. Since then, no team has signed Colin Kaepernick or given him an opportunity in the NFL.
It is presumed that teams around the league have avoided signing Kaepernick due to the outrage that they will receive from a large number of people. He worked out with the Las Vegas Raiders before the start of the season, but that move didn't materialize either.
A return for Colin Kaepernick to the NFL is very unlikely
Colin Kaepernick has worked hard behind the scenes to get another opportunity to prove himself in the NFL. However, it seems like the former 49ers quarterback won't be returning to the league.
He is already 35 years old and there aren't many teams in the league that would bring him in to be a backup. Everyone knows how much controversy he carries and signing Kaepernick will bring national attention to the team.
Colin Kaepernick has multiple charities and has worked tirelessly with the community to make their lives better. However, it is very likely that his football career is over. The Raiders could have signed him earlier this season as a backup to Derek Carr, but they also passed on that opportunity.
During his time in the NFL, Kaepernick played six seasons for the 49ers. He threw for 12,271 yards and 72 touchdowns. He also had 30 interceptions throughout the course of his career. We will see if there are any more twists to the Kaepernick story in the future.
