Okay, okay, sports fans; calm down.
We don’t know if or when Colin Kaepernick is getting signed this season, but there is an NFL team owner who said he would “absolutely” sign the former 49ers quarterback–upon recommendation.
Jacksonville Jaguars sportscaster Mike Dempsey tweeted details of a conversation with team owner Shad Khan on Thursday, in which the owner said he’d sign Kaepernick if his “football people” recommended it.
Dempsey also said that Khan is open to “anything his football people suggested to make the Jaguars better,” but that “it seems clear that the football people in the organization don’t feel like adding CK makes them better, at least for now.”
Khan did say in the conversation that “while he would not have done what CK did, he respected his right as an American to express himself.”
Just saw Jags owner Shad Khan. Asked him if his football people recommended signing Kaepernick, would he be OK w/ it. Answer: "Absolutely."
— Mike Dempsey (@md_1010xl) August 24, 2017
Mr. Khan reiterated that he was open to anything his football people sugggested to make the Jaguars better.
— Mike Dempsey (@md_1010xl) August 24, 2017
That being said, it seems clear that the football people in the organization don't feel like adding CK makes them better, at least for now.
— Mike Dempsey (@md_1010xl) August 24, 2017
Mr. Khan stated that while he would not have done what CK did, he respected his right as an American to express himself.
— Mike Dempsey (@md_1010xl) August 24, 2017
Kaepernick made waves last season when he knelt during the National Anthem to protest social injustice in the U.S., and has inspired protests this season. As recently as Wednesday, people gathered outside NFL headquarters in New York in support of Kaepernick, and some are encouraging fans to boycott watching games. And, even though the player remains unsigned, merchandise with Kaepernick’s name is among official NFL merchandise Top 50 list and his protest jersey was donated to the Smithsonian.
Kaepernick previously led the 49ers to the Superbowl, has six playoff games under his belt and last season threw 16 touchdowns to four interceptions, but remains a free agent after bowing out of his San Francisco contract earlier this year.
In this year’s preseason, other players have already mimicked Kaepernick’s protest from last year. The Seattle Seahawks’ Michael Bennett knelt during the National Anthem in the Hawks’ pre-season games, and several Cleveland Browns players knelt during the Anthem preceding their Monday night game against the New York Giants, including tight end Seth DeValve, who is the first white player to kneel.