by Ray Hayes
Colin Kaeparnick, the philanthropist, and former San Francisco 49ers QB, seems to be lucking out when it comes to finding a NFL home. Although the former Super Bowl QB has alot left in the tank, teams are shying away from him for his off the field antics versus his on the field capabilities. Former San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh supports his former star however. “I’ll tell you the same thing I tell them: I think he’s an outstanding player and I think he’s a great competitor who has proven it in games and has the ability to be not only an NFL starter but a great NFL player,” Harbaugh explained on PFT Live.
So if Kaep truly does have alot left to give in the realm of football, why won’t any team take a chance?
One of the most obvious reasons he has not signed a contract is due to the symbolic statement he made last year by kneeling during the National Anthem. A lot of NFL executives and fans hated the action which in turn, led to bad publicity. Include the terrible year the team had and Kaep came off scared in terms of brand recognition. In addition the current President of the United States at a press conference in Kentucky exclaimed his dissatisfaction for the QB by taking credit for the lack of job opportunity for Kaep. “Your San Francisco quarterback, I’m sure nobody ever heard of him. There was an article today, it’s reported, that NFL owners don’t want to pick him up because they don’t want to get a nasty tweet from Donald Trump. Can you believe that?”
I would like to think that he is not being wholeheartedly blackballed by the NFL but I may be wrong. In my opinion, the main reason he has not found a team yet is because of his poor performance on the field, which seems to be a combination of bad luck more than his ability. Yet in still, despite his athletic struggles, Kaep is a philanthropic leader. While many have discredited him as a trouble maker, the poor and less fortune seem to be benefiting from his stance. Kaep wasn’t just kneeling for his own publicity but truly to make a difference, and he is. Below are a few examples of his life changing accomplishments:
- $50,000 to Meals On Wheels
- $25,000 to the BYP100, he donated equal amounts to Gathering For Justice/ Justice League, Communities United for Police Reform and the I Will Not Die Young Campaign.
- $25,000 each to the Silicon Valley De-Bug, Causa Justa/Just Cause, Urban Underground and Mothers Against Police Brutality
- Kaepernick helped raise over $1 million dollars to help provide direct aid to people of Somalia who are suffering from a historic drought that has destroyed crops and livestock.
Kaep has pledged to donate $100,000 to the charity of his choice each month that looks to help unfortunate peoples. The man who is seen as a terrible figure to some is actually doing more to positively impact people’s lives than 90% of the NFL. Kaep is a hero but is treated like a villain by those wishing to sensationalize his actions.
Colin Kaepernick is the modern age Muhammad Ali.