Why Colin Kaepernick might not get an NFL job

During a recess late in a trial where the plaintiff alleged he had been fired due to his race and/or his age, a federal district court judge said to his law clerk:

Sure, this guy was discriminated against. But he wasn’t discriminated against because he’s black and he wasn’t discriminated against because he’s over 40. He was discriminated because he’s an a**hole.

It might well be the case that, a few years ago, Colin Kaepernick was discriminated against because he led a mini-movement that resulted in some NFL players taking a knee during the National Anthem. I never managed to feel sorry for Kaepernick, but do believe it’s wrong to deny employment to an athlete because of his political views and the way he lawfully expresses them.

The furor over Kaepernick’s views and antics has long since died down, and the NFL seems to have regained the viewers it lost during the knee-taking controversy. There may have been hard feelings against Kaepernick over the legal action he brought against the League. However, by offering Kaepernick a special workout session that all 32 teams could attend, the NFL showed it will let bygones be bygones, if for no other reason than to avoid future litigation.

As Steve noted here, Kaepernick responded by balking at the terms and conditions of the workout and demanding all manner of special treatment. The NFL agreed to most of his demands.

But this was not enough for Kaepernick. Having failed to get 100 percent of what he wanted, Kaepernick rescheduled the session and moved it from the Atlanta Falcons’ facility to a school an hour away.

Representatives from 25 teams were prepared to attend the session scheduled for the Falcons’ facility. Representatives from eight attended the session Kaepernick threw together at the last minute.

After watching a video of the last portion of the workout, Daniel Jeremiah, a respected talent evaluator, said of Kaepernick:

He looked similar to what he has been. Plenty of velocity, inconst[ent] touch/feel. Looked a little gassed.

What Kaepernick “has been” is probably good enough to win a job as a second string quarterback in the NFL. If Kaepernick doesn’t get that opportunity, it won’t be because he knelt during the National Anthem and it won’t be because he litigated against the NFL.

It will be because he’s an a**hole.

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