Colin Kaepernick will stand during the National Anthem next season, sources tell ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. After making headlines last season for his protest, Kaepernick does not want his display “to detract from the positive change that he believes has been created,” Schefter writes. 
[RELATED: Follow PFR On Instagram To See What Colin Kaepernick Would Look Like In A Jets Jersey]
Normally, we wouldn’t cover this sort of thing at Pro Football Rumors, but Kaepernick is on the verge of free agency and this declaration could make a very real impact on his market. Teams are understandably wary of the media attention that Kaepernick would bring and his willingness to put his anthem kneeling on hold could make him more appealing to clubs.
Meanwhile, a return hasn’t been officially ruled out in San Francisco. General manager John Lynch said he and Kaepernick agreed to leave the door open for a possible reunion, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Still, he will become a free agent on March 9.
Kaepernick doesn’t appear to be the player he once was, but he could still be a quality backup with some upside. He bounced back somewhat in 2016, tossing 16 touchdown passes against four interceptions. He also averaged 7.2 yards per passing attempt (up from 6.2 in 2015) and finished second among QBs in rushing yards (468, on a lofty 6.8 per carry).
Who cares. Still doesn’t gain any respect from anyone.
He got respect from me there goes your whole point.
Make it two
Three
says the anonymous little man on the Internet that literally no one even knows exists. SAD
He’s already done his damage he went anti-American hoping that would get him to stay on bored and start it was his chance in his sick twisted head to stay in the spotlight once that did not work and he realized he was a bench warmer he decided to take a pay cut to play once he did that and realized he was better on the bench keeping it warm now he decides to stand for the anthem get him the hell out of the league
He is anti-American because he points out we need to do better than what we currently are? I happen to agree with him. If you are satisfied with the state our country is in, you have very low expectations. We should have a higher standard for our country. Don’t be blindly loyal.
He definitely didn’t start kneeling for the anthem to get the starting job. In what job does not standing for a flag get you a promotion? He started after Gabbert got benched because he didn’t play well, that’s how he got the starting job again. If you’re tired of talking about Kaepernick then stop commenting on articles about him.
Exactly, he never once got behind any cause in his whole career. Only after he was on the bench pouting and on the verge of being released did he somehow have a cause. He also decided to wear a shirt of a known mass murder and civil rights violator because its hip, yet claims to be he’s fighting oppression here in the States. SMH
He’s only it so someone will sign him lol
Saying*
Why is this news
who cares hop he never plays in the NFL again.
Because it was created into a big news story last year
I’d love to hear the positive change this created…
Same here.
This joke is going to get the keys to the city. That city being Denver and he will be called amazing by week seven with that defense carrying him. Joke.
Wow not only is this a wildly unlikely scenario considering the Broncos already have Siemian and Lynch, but it’s crazy that you’re mad at Colin Kaepernick about the possibility of him going to the Broncos. Like not even as if it’s really gonna happen, you’re mad about the possibility that in week 7, IF he goes to the Broncos he’s gonna get praised. Ok cool Brad I wonder if you just have something against Kaepernick or if you can tell the future and are still somehow really angry about it.
He’s unpatriotic scum. Regardless of where he goes, I believe most of their fan base will disapprove.
You are blindly loyal. The point he was making is one that needed to be made.
I’d disapprove of him being on my team because I don’t think he’s a very good quarterback. You don’t want him on your team because you have a misplaced sense of patriotism to where someone using free speech and asking for equality is “unpatriotic scum”. But I’m sure you love your blue lives matter flag!
Sorry yoyo explain to us how his sitting for the anthem has something to do with equality? Huh?
Not standing to salute a flag for a country where they’re still white supremacy and systematic incarceration of black people. And even just the fact that when any black athlete speaks his mind it’s all “stick to sports!” or “unpatriotic scum!” like pay some attention to the issues at hand, you’re still focusing on the anthem which is just a song and the flag which is a piece of fabric.
YAWN
I’m sorry, haven’t heard of any supremacist events happening recently. Racism exist, it is on both sides however. That “song” was played after d-day, when the “piece of fabric” was planted on Iwo Jima, and after the miracle on ice. The “piece of fabric” is placed on our fallen soldiers caskets, raised amongst the rubble of Ground Zero, and when man first walked the moon.
You can’t be racist towards white people reverse racism doesn’t exist, D-Day was when the Americans realized the war was most profitable and not about saving anyone they were all about that money $$$$, all soldiers who died did so for a terrible cause for a country built on genocide not freedom, 9/11 was an inside job, and the moon landing wasn’t real.
there’s so much bullshit in that last post that you could fertilize a field
I happen to be a part of a family that has a long line of successful, fair, and good police officers. I have an uncle who was shot trying to break up a mugging, and an aunt who saved a child from a burning car, both of them were police officers. Blue lives do matter, black lives matter, white lives matter… all lives matter. Not one person on this earth is more worthy of life than the next. I usually refrain from political arguments on this site as it is a place I go to so I can stay up to date with the latest football news; however, this comment is forcing me to take a stance. I love America, it’s not perfect, but I still love it. Sure there could be some change to make it better, but look around the world and see where else you could have been born at. The Middle East still has public stoning and women do not have rights; not to mention active war zones. Colin’s message had good intentions, but sitting for the anthem is a blatant insult to the service people who gave up so much so he still had the right to sit. It saddens me to see people insult the men and women who can barely make ends meet, like my police family members, but still go to work everyday to make America what it is. For example, if you were in danger, a police officer would come to save you, if your house was on fire, a firefighter would come and put it out, if you had a heart attack, a paramedic would come and take you to the hospital. I agree that there is racism and hate in the world, but the overall view of America is still great and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.
You have a very post 9/11 American propaganda view of the middle east if the only thing you can bring up is stonings and women having no rights, that’s great that you have so much life experience and that you know people who are cops but you’re arguing that Kaepernick not standing for the anthem disrespects soldiers. When he already started kneeling to pay respect to soldiers therefore hypothetically quelling all of your concerns. And with cops seriously so many black people have died because of cops negligence, excessive force, and racial biases. You probably feel very safe because you have family who are cops, but what about people in this country who have been targeted and racially profiled by cops? The point is you’re speaking from a point of privilege and other people don’t have the same privileges you do. We live in a country that is literally deporting legal immigrants when the whole reason the country is even the US is because they killed Native Americans and stole their land, basically making this whole country founded on terrorism and illegal immigration so wake up son. All lives matter but who would say that during mass incarceration as an extension of slavery? Who would say that during mass deportations? The lives that matter the most are the ones who are being targeted for harassment by your lawmakers and your government. Not some cops their lives already mattered the whole time so sure blue lives matter but realize that everyone only started saying that when people tried to say that “hey, maybe black lives also matter!”
YAWN
Well said Steve
What the statement should read is “my new agent has let me know that I should declare that I will be standing for the National Anthem now, so that I can be a more marketable free agent get paid more next season.” What a bum.
Completely agree!
Attention whore is still whoring for attention. Shocking.
Weird that he’s good for the anthem after Trump has become President. Seems like now would be the time for his protest, not last season under Obama.
It’s likely this is just due to his needing to be more palatable with a new team. Classic case of slacktivism.
I could not care less whether he stands or sits, I just can’t stand the ultracrepidarianism that he represents (but to be sure, he isn’t the only one in this country) and his unwillingness to put some skin in the game to affect real change (e.g., quit football and join the front lines of a given police force of his choosing which he could directly impact.) Meaningless gestures and levying vague and thus unprovable abstract criticisms are not credible characteristics of a “courageous hero” (or whatever his apologists anoint him with.) I have far more respect for a Pat Tillman or Glenn Coffee than CK, and not because they joined the military necessarily – but because instead of issuing overly broad complaints about complex issues and writing checks from their ridiculously inflated bank accounts, they chose to embody real, individual dedication and sacrifice in pursuit of their ideals. Analogously, I respect the man who volunteers his time and labor at a soup kitchen far more than the one who writes big fat checks and goes about their ivory tower lives without missing a beat.
Keath:
Good points and take it from this 20 yr. + vet including combat. It does NOT matter how loud you or I vent the US FIRST Const. Amendment can NOT be ignored.
This whole thing with Kaepernick (or any other athletes) has nothing whatsoever to do with the First Amendment and never has. If you actually read the First Amendment, you will see that it clearly prohibits CONGRESS from making a LAW(S) prohibiting free speech. It has nothing at all to do with private employment contracts or business rules. Thus, unless the government is involved and infringing someone’s free exercise of speech, invoking the First Amendment here (or anywhere else) is completely inapplicable. Had the 49ers’ owner wished to prohibit Kaepernick from doing any such protesting while “on the clock” as a condition of his employment, that’s totally and completely legal and involves the First Amendment not even a little bit. If you don’t believe that, go ahead and try and call your boss the names people are constitutionally allowed to call their president, and see if you still have your job after that.
Agree, thanks.
People can turn their negative comments towards Trump or Obama. It really doesn’t matter who the president is.Americans lack common sense which is what’s dividing us. If we all worried about ourselves and not each other and held each of us accountable this country would be a better place
Wrong forum.
What a prick. He is standing only because he knows no one will sign him otherwise and it will cost him millions. So much for his conviction to his “cause”. To make matters worse the idiot tries to play it like his selfish useless stance has had some results.
Dear Jets,
Despite being in relative ‘dire straights’ …. kindly refrain from entertaining this QB from any, even remote, consideration.
Thank you.
I’m freaking piss right now. How can you start such a powerful movement, take a strong stand such as he did and just quit. I smell a tall yellow Rat. Steve A.Smith is right on about Kap and he used BP for his personal agenda, to get to the NYJets. Remember, if was founded,he did purchase a apartment in NYC, when he was trying to get SF to trade him to the Jets,that did not happen,so he used the RACE CARD /Power to the people. So tired of BM using the Race game when Shit don’t go their way. I have informed my BF we will skip the Jets games this season if he plays. No longer a fan or supporter
This is the dumbest headline I’ve read in a while.
Mr. Zach Links:
Are you going to be another CSN Bay Area Matt Maiocco constantly lobbying against CK7? You only quoted the stats that favor your agenda: BRAVO.
You forgot the most important QB stat: QBR passing rate: CK7 2016 90.7, thank you.
Colin Kapernick agrees to stand next year for our National Anthem? What happens when the ink dries? As far as Kapernick is concerned NFL stands for Needy F’n Liar