Colin Kaepernick remains eager to return to football, not only in the NFL but also eyeing an opportunity in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will make its debut. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who last played in the NFL in 2016, expressed his hopes during an interview with Sky Sports.
Kaepernick stated, “Hopefully we’ll be out there. We’re gonna work on some things, see if we can make it in there. But we’d love to be out there.” Flag football, a non-contact version where players can be stopped by having a flag pulled from their belt, has drawn interest from several NFL players, with the league reportedly encouraging active athletes to participate.
At 36 years old, Kaepernick has not appeared in an NFL game since his departure from the 49ers in 2016, a departure that came after he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. He added, “We’re still training, still pushing. So, hopefully. We just gotta get one of these team owners to open up.”
Drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft, Kaepernick spent his entire six-year career with the 49ers and led the team to Super Bowl XLVII, narrowly losing to the Baltimore Ravens. His career statistics include a 28-30 regular season record, 12,271 passing yards, 72 touchdowns, 30 interceptions, a 59.8 completion percentage, and 13 rushing touchdowns.
The 49ers had a challenging season in 2016, finishing with a 1-10 record in Kaepernick’s starts. Since then, he has struggled to attract interest from NFL teams, despite participating in high-profile workouts. Kaepernick met with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 and auditioned for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, but neither team signed him. In the previous season, he reached out to the New York Jets after their quarterback Aaron Rodgers sustained a serious injury, hoping to join their practice squad.
Reflecting on his aspirations, Kaepernick stated, “I mean, it’s something I’ve trained my whole life for. So, to be able to step back on the field, I think that would be a major moment, a major accomplishment for me. Also, I think it’s something that I can bring a lot to a team and help them win a championship.”