Colin Kaepernick, the former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, continues to express his desire to return to professional football, even considering playing flag football at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In an interview with Sky Sports, Kaepernick mentioned, “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 will make its Olympic debut in 2028, and Kaepernick is among various NFL players showing interest in participating. The league is reportedly encouraging its active players to explore this opportunity.
Having not played in the NFL since 2016, when he parted ways with the 49ers after kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice, Kaepernick remains dedicated to his training. He acknowledged the difficulties in securing a spot, adding, “We just gotta get one of these team owners to open up.”
Kaepernick was drafted by San Francisco in the second round of the 2011 draft and dedicated his entire six-year NFL career to the team. He led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, which they narrowly lost to the Baltimore Ravens with a score of 34-31. Throughout his career, he has recorded a 28-30 regular season record, 12,271 passing yards, 72 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions, a 59.8 completion percentage, and 13 rushing touchdowns.
In Kaepernick’s last season in 2016, the 49ers struggled with a 1-10 record in his starts. Since then, he has struggled to attract interest, despite holding high-profile workouts and auditions. He met with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 and tried out for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, but both teams chose not to sign him. Last season, following an injury to New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Kaepernick wrote to the Jets requesting a spot on their practice squad.
When asked about what a return to the NFL would mean to him, Kaepernick stated, “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.”