"But regardless of fan support, regardless of the NFL’s silent threat against players who protest the anthem and the country it stands for, regardless of whatever effect teams think this has on their fan base or viewership or success, players are beginning to galvanize."
- Miles De Rosa
Last year, at this same time, I sat down to write an article about Colin Kaepernick and his use of the NFL’s platform to show his views on racial inequality in America. Now, one year later, this story is still extremely newsworthy, for one reason: Colin Kaepernick is still unemployed.
Last season the 49ers went a dismal 2-14 with Kaepernick at the helm in a fairly weak NFC west division. Kaepernick suffered from injuries, missed time, and seemed to regress as a quarterback. The case for him being without a job seems reasonable at a glance.
But we have to remember in 2012 Kaepernick stepped in for Alex Smith halfway through the year and led his team to a super bowl, and that was a much different team, and Kap was allowed to be a much different player. In 2012, 49ers fans will remember him as a dynamic force on a football field, being able to move freely out of the pocket and throw passes down field to Anquan Boldin (retired) or Vernon Davis (now a Redskin). Bolden had over a thousand receiving yards in Kap’s first full 2013 season, and Davis had over 800. Kaepernick also had Frank Gore to turn to in the backfield, a back who rushed for over 1,000 yards.
To fast forward to last season, Kaepernick was working with a poor receiving corps, no one receiving for more than 700 yards. Carlos Hyde didn’t break 1,000 yards on the ground, and the offensive line has aged and been depleted over the years. We saw in uptick in his times sacked and fall off in his completion numbers.
So we know what happened. It’s fairly clear. Kaepernick’s team fell apart around him. He was never a good enough quarterback to drag a team to playoff contention on his own. The point of this article is not to glorify him as a player, because in reality he is a league average quarterback. The point is to ask the NFL why a league average quarterback doesn’t have a job in September.
And it is a question many NFL players have weighed in on. Tom Brady, a former MVP, and a man with a record five super bowl rings commented in support of Kaepernick. Not necessarily of his protest, but on his employment situation saying: “I’ve watched [Kaepernick] and admired him, the way he’s played. He was a great young quarterback. He came to our stadium and beat us and took his team to the Super Bowl… I hope he gets a shot.”
Such high praise from a player who is revered as being one of the all time greats would normally be worth a lot in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers, another elite quarterback, offered his two cents on the situation saying, “I think he should be on a roster right now. I think because of his protests, he’s not.” Richard Sherman, all-star cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks and a frequent opponent of the quarterback during his time in San Francisco came out and expressed his concerns around the implications of the young arm being jobless, saying, “You’re telling me fans would rather you lose and put a worse player out there because a guy took a stand? That’s where it’s troublesome to me.”
Last season the 49ers went a dismal 2-14 with Kaepernick at the helm in a fairly weak NFC west division. Kaepernick suffered from injuries, missed time, and seemed to regress as a quarterback. The case for him being without a job seems reasonable at a glance.
But we have to remember in 2012 Kaepernick stepped in for Alex Smith halfway through the year and led his team to a super bowl, and that was a much different team, and Kap was allowed to be a much different player. In 2012, 49ers fans will remember him as a dynamic force on a football field, being able to move freely out of the pocket and throw passes down field to Anquan Boldin (retired) or Vernon Davis (now a Redskin). Bolden had over a thousand receiving yards in Kap’s first full 2013 season, and Davis had over 800. Kaepernick also had Frank Gore to turn to in the backfield, a back who rushed for over 1,000 yards.
To fast forward to last season, Kaepernick was working with a poor receiving corps, no one receiving for more than 700 yards. Carlos Hyde didn’t break 1,000 yards on the ground, and the offensive line has aged and been depleted over the years. We saw in uptick in his times sacked and fall off in his completion numbers.
So we know what happened. It’s fairly clear. Kaepernick’s team fell apart around him. He was never a good enough quarterback to drag a team to playoff contention on his own. The point of this article is not to glorify him as a player, because in reality he is a league average quarterback. The point is to ask the NFL why a league average quarterback doesn’t have a job in September.
And it is a question many NFL players have weighed in on. Tom Brady, a former MVP, and a man with a record five super bowl rings commented in support of Kaepernick. Not necessarily of his protest, but on his employment situation saying: “I’ve watched [Kaepernick] and admired him, the way he’s played. He was a great young quarterback. He came to our stadium and beat us and took his team to the Super Bowl… I hope he gets a shot.”
Such high praise from a player who is revered as being one of the all time greats would normally be worth a lot in the NFL. Aaron Rodgers, another elite quarterback, offered his two cents on the situation saying, “I think he should be on a roster right now. I think because of his protests, he’s not.” Richard Sherman, all-star cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks and a frequent opponent of the quarterback during his time in San Francisco came out and expressed his concerns around the implications of the young arm being jobless, saying, “You’re telling me fans would rather you lose and put a worse player out there because a guy took a stand? That’s where it’s troublesome to me.”
The idea Sherman presents, of NFL teams denying Kaepernick a job because of his politics, and not his play, was a reasonable conclusion at the beginning. And then the Miami Dolphins signed Jay Cutler. In a recent Bleacher Report article, Jay Cutler was called “Possibly the most polarizing quarterback of our generation.”
Cutler has an arm that made scouts jaws drop, yet has an undeniable record of lazy interception passes. His attitude is tough, impenetrable, letting no one get to him, yet there are allegations of him, according to bleacher report, “tapping out of the biggest game of his life.” This polarization has often left teammates and fans asking what happened. And after his tenure with the bears winded down, he became a meme. If you type smokin' Jay Cutler into a search bar right now you will get pages and pages of caricatures, like the one above, of the quarterback.
Regardless of Cutler’s previous heroics or potential, the quarterback he is now isn’t the one he used to be. As revealed in a Sports Illustrated article, most coaches in the NFL considered Cutler as an unstable starter, someone who is a backup at best, and might have too much of an ego to sit on the bench for a younger version of himself. But then, with both Cutler and Kap on the market, the dolphins signed Cutler, hoping to get the young star that dazzled scouts of the past.
Kaepernick never had the upside that Cutler did, but never had the surliness, the unreliable tendencies with the football. He is everything Cutler is not. He may have never had the star potential, but he was never a loose cannon.
Now with Cutler signed, the NFL Season underway, and many teams still with shaky QB options and money left in their pockets, Kaepernick's situation has been truly illuminated, suspicions confirmed. The NFL doesn’t want players who protest.
Which brings up an issue. Though Kaepernick’s efforts in the fight for social justice have easily been the most publicised and talked about, they are not the only ones doing it across the NFL. The original protest got the ball rolling, broke the seal for other players to start talking about the issue and taking action themselves. In this way Kaepernick has created an army.
Though Kaepernick was an average player, not all of these players are. Richard Sherman has been terrorizing secondaries since he entered the NFL, Michael Bennett, along with Sherman on the seahawks, is a dynamic defensive end and viewed as a defensive star in the NFL. Both these players, when they hit free agency, will be targets for any team seeking defensive help, and unlike Kaepernick there will be no believable excuse to not sign these players.
Marshawn Lynch, viewed as a hall of fame running back sat for the anthem this year. The entire Browns team (albeit a not very talented team) linked arms on the sidelines in the preseason. White players like Chris Long are supporting their African American teammates in their protests. Long, after putting his arm around teammate Malcolm Jenkins who had his fist raised during the anthem was quoted later saying, “I think it’s a good time for people that look like me to be here for people who are fighting for equality.”
Which presents the NFL with a problem. Though no team has reprimanded a player for protesting the anthem as we know of, it is clear that the NFL has an issue with it. They, of course, cannot say that as they have no jurisdiction over a player's right to a peaceful protest, but with Kaepernick left jobless, it is clearly implied.
The problem the NFL has occurs is when players of star caliber like Richard Sherman or Marshawn Lynch hit the market. These players are simply too good not to be signed. Kaepernick, though it has left him jobless, has seemed to have created an army that maybe not even Roger Goodell and his cronies can stop.
All of these protests happened before 9/24/17, happened before one of the days that has been called one of the most notable days in sports in a long time. No one will forget this for a while, and it was spurred by the president. Trump called players who protest “Sons of Bitches,” and said that players who protest “Should be fired.”
In response it is estimated that over 500 players showed some form of protest. The singer in Detroit of the national anthem took a knee and raised his fist towards the end of the song. Mainy players after scoring touchdowns, including Odell Beckham Jr. raised a fist in the endzone. The owner of the Redskins, the Falcons, and the Jaguars all stood, arms linked, with their teams on the side. Patriots players sat and linked arms, the majority of the Raiders team sat and linked arms, along with the Bengals, Giants, and many other franchises. The Black Lives Matter logo. The Seahawks and Steelers did not appear on the field for the anthem, with the exception of one Steeler who had served in the military. In response to Trump’s comments Martellus Bennett said, “I’m ok with being fired for what I believe in.” Lesean McCoy, a pro bowl caliber running back just continued to Stretch as the singer sang the national anthem. And to cap it all off, Lebron James, possibly the most poignant sports figure since Michael Jordan came out and called Trump a ‘bum’ and said later in his tweet that “going to the white house was a great honor until you showed up.” Referencing Steph Curry’s invitation to the white house being withdrawn.
Players in football are taking a stand disproportionate to any seen in the history of sports previously. Anquan Boldin didn’t just protest on the field, he retired citing his need to be more involved with social justice activism. Every few weeks Bleacherreport throws a picture on instagram of a player protesting with a quote attached and it ignites a discussion in the comments.
Not everyone comes out in support of these players. Unfortunately we live in a culture that attaches more money to its athletes then we do their humanity. It’s important to know that these men are simply men. And they have beliefs and concerns about the world the same way the rest of us do. They just have a national platform to show these grievances.
But regardless of fan support, regardless of the NFL’s silent threat against players who protest the anthem and the country it stands for, regardless of whatever effect teams think this has on their fan base or viewership or success, players are beginning to galvanize. And it all started with one man, deciding to sit, and fight the good fight. To do it, he decided to take on one of the most powerful countries in the world, using one of the most publically manipulative and abusive sports leagues in the world as a platform. Now the league stands at a crossroads as they are facing an army on the sidelines of players who have made the choice to sit, and their numbers are only growing, even as the man who started it all watches his army on a T.V.
Cutler has an arm that made scouts jaws drop, yet has an undeniable record of lazy interception passes. His attitude is tough, impenetrable, letting no one get to him, yet there are allegations of him, according to bleacher report, “tapping out of the biggest game of his life.” This polarization has often left teammates and fans asking what happened. And after his tenure with the bears winded down, he became a meme. If you type smokin' Jay Cutler into a search bar right now you will get pages and pages of caricatures, like the one above, of the quarterback.
Regardless of Cutler’s previous heroics or potential, the quarterback he is now isn’t the one he used to be. As revealed in a Sports Illustrated article, most coaches in the NFL considered Cutler as an unstable starter, someone who is a backup at best, and might have too much of an ego to sit on the bench for a younger version of himself. But then, with both Cutler and Kap on the market, the dolphins signed Cutler, hoping to get the young star that dazzled scouts of the past.
Kaepernick never had the upside that Cutler did, but never had the surliness, the unreliable tendencies with the football. He is everything Cutler is not. He may have never had the star potential, but he was never a loose cannon.
Now with Cutler signed, the NFL Season underway, and many teams still with shaky QB options and money left in their pockets, Kaepernick's situation has been truly illuminated, suspicions confirmed. The NFL doesn’t want players who protest.
Which brings up an issue. Though Kaepernick’s efforts in the fight for social justice have easily been the most publicised and talked about, they are not the only ones doing it across the NFL. The original protest got the ball rolling, broke the seal for other players to start talking about the issue and taking action themselves. In this way Kaepernick has created an army.
Though Kaepernick was an average player, not all of these players are. Richard Sherman has been terrorizing secondaries since he entered the NFL, Michael Bennett, along with Sherman on the seahawks, is a dynamic defensive end and viewed as a defensive star in the NFL. Both these players, when they hit free agency, will be targets for any team seeking defensive help, and unlike Kaepernick there will be no believable excuse to not sign these players.
Marshawn Lynch, viewed as a hall of fame running back sat for the anthem this year. The entire Browns team (albeit a not very talented team) linked arms on the sidelines in the preseason. White players like Chris Long are supporting their African American teammates in their protests. Long, after putting his arm around teammate Malcolm Jenkins who had his fist raised during the anthem was quoted later saying, “I think it’s a good time for people that look like me to be here for people who are fighting for equality.”
Which presents the NFL with a problem. Though no team has reprimanded a player for protesting the anthem as we know of, it is clear that the NFL has an issue with it. They, of course, cannot say that as they have no jurisdiction over a player's right to a peaceful protest, but with Kaepernick left jobless, it is clearly implied.
The problem the NFL has occurs is when players of star caliber like Richard Sherman or Marshawn Lynch hit the market. These players are simply too good not to be signed. Kaepernick, though it has left him jobless, has seemed to have created an army that maybe not even Roger Goodell and his cronies can stop.
All of these protests happened before 9/24/17, happened before one of the days that has been called one of the most notable days in sports in a long time. No one will forget this for a while, and it was spurred by the president. Trump called players who protest “Sons of Bitches,” and said that players who protest “Should be fired.”
In response it is estimated that over 500 players showed some form of protest. The singer in Detroit of the national anthem took a knee and raised his fist towards the end of the song. Mainy players after scoring touchdowns, including Odell Beckham Jr. raised a fist in the endzone. The owner of the Redskins, the Falcons, and the Jaguars all stood, arms linked, with their teams on the side. Patriots players sat and linked arms, the majority of the Raiders team sat and linked arms, along with the Bengals, Giants, and many other franchises. The Black Lives Matter logo. The Seahawks and Steelers did not appear on the field for the anthem, with the exception of one Steeler who had served in the military. In response to Trump’s comments Martellus Bennett said, “I’m ok with being fired for what I believe in.” Lesean McCoy, a pro bowl caliber running back just continued to Stretch as the singer sang the national anthem. And to cap it all off, Lebron James, possibly the most poignant sports figure since Michael Jordan came out and called Trump a ‘bum’ and said later in his tweet that “going to the white house was a great honor until you showed up.” Referencing Steph Curry’s invitation to the white house being withdrawn.
Players in football are taking a stand disproportionate to any seen in the history of sports previously. Anquan Boldin didn’t just protest on the field, he retired citing his need to be more involved with social justice activism. Every few weeks Bleacherreport throws a picture on instagram of a player protesting with a quote attached and it ignites a discussion in the comments.
Not everyone comes out in support of these players. Unfortunately we live in a culture that attaches more money to its athletes then we do their humanity. It’s important to know that these men are simply men. And they have beliefs and concerns about the world the same way the rest of us do. They just have a national platform to show these grievances.
But regardless of fan support, regardless of the NFL’s silent threat against players who protest the anthem and the country it stands for, regardless of whatever effect teams think this has on their fan base or viewership or success, players are beginning to galvanize. And it all started with one man, deciding to sit, and fight the good fight. To do it, he decided to take on one of the most powerful countries in the world, using one of the most publically manipulative and abusive sports leagues in the world as a platform. Now the league stands at a crossroads as they are facing an army on the sidelines of players who have made the choice to sit, and their numbers are only growing, even as the man who started it all watches his army on a T.V.