When the Indianapolis Colts found themselves in urgent need of a quarterback, they turned to Philip Rivers—somewhat unexpectedly, considering he had been retired since 2020.
Interestingly, nobody seemed to raise concerns about Colin Kaepernick not being considered for the role.
No complaints about Kaepernick.
Kaepernick wasn’t contacted or trained by the Colts, even though they did pursue other quarterbacks. What followed his exclusion was quite telling: silence. There was no significant outcry. No accusations of him being blackballed. Not a single complaint about the Colts opting for a 44-year-old white quarterback over a 38-year-old black one. Even Mike Florio, who typically defends Kaepernick, hardly mentioned this latest snub.
So, why does this matter? Well, it signals a shift—a potential end to an era where NFL teams were accused of racism for not signing Kaepernick to fill quarterback needs.
Colin Kaepernick’s memory fades
This implies that the Colts are less swayed by fan or media pressure and more focused on the complexities surrounding Kaepernick. It seems people are starting to recognize that the claims of racism, frequently tied to certain political viewpoints, don’t quite add up in a league with a predominantly black player base.
Yes, this is indeed significant.
A quarterback on the Broncos’ practice squad recently shared that he declined an opportunity to join the Colts, stating, “I’m not going to stand up to show pride in the flag of a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” This was once a rallying cry for Kaepernick’s supporters, who saw him as a trailblazer. But perhaps the memory of him is fading.
A lot of QBs move without complaint.
Rivers isn’t the only quarterback who seemingly came out of the blue to join a practice squad; several others have signed contracts this season, completely bypassing Kaepernick. For instance, Shane Buechele (Bills), Brady Cook (Jets), and Bailey Zappe (Browns) have all made appearances on practice squads this year.
Other quarterbacks, like Brett Rypien, who has had a rather tumultuous journey through teams, also signed on recently. Despite the shifting landscape of quarterbacks, Kaepernick remains absent.
I don’t have any issues with that.
It’s hard to imagine activists from 2017 recognizing this newfound calm.
The end has come for Kaepernick.
No other player has reached Kaepernick’s peak as a starter on a Super Bowl contending team, yet many of the current backups possess greater potential than he showcased toward the twilight of his NFL career. It’s worth noting that my phrasing, “at the end of his NFL career,” is not a mistake. The conclusion undoubtedly came after the 2016 season.
Strangely, it seems to have taken nearly a decade for everyone to come to terms with that and collectively move on.
