The leftist sports media has begun the process of eulogizing the NFL career of Colin Kaepernick.
First, ESPN’s Jason Reid, writing in the Undefeated, mused, “We may have seen the last of Colin Kaepernick in the NFL.” Drew Magary of Deadspin writes, “The NFL Machine Has Finally Beaten Colin Kaepernick.” And last, and least, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pleadingly laments, “NFL teams have their minds made up on Kaepernick; could only a call from the Commissioner change it?”
Though the tears from these leftist sports scribes are certainly tasty, a common thread among these three, and other Kaepernick defenders, is that none of them seem to have any idea why Kaepernick remains unemployed.
For example, in the Undefeated, Reid writes of Seattle’s recent decision to sign Austin Davis over Kaepernick: “In picking Davis over Kaepernick, who has been seeking work since he opted out of his deal with the San Francisco 49ers ahead of free agency in March, Seattle chose a journeyman who has failed to establish himself as a viable NFL passer in stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos. Davis didn’t even appear in a game last season.”
Magary makes the same case in Deadspin, “You already know that NFL teams have already gone out of their way to employ a string of horrendous quarterbacks while Kap has been left out on the curb with his dick in his hand. Josh McCown—who was somehow WORSE statistically for Cleveland last year than Austin Davis was the year prior—is currently entrenched as the Jets’ starting quarterback.”
These arguments essentially break down this way: Kaepernick is a better quarterback than some other quarterback who has a job, ergo, Kaepernick should also have a job.
But, the thing is, none of that actually matters.
When Colin Kaepernick first sat, and then knelt, for the national anthem he changed the rules by which he would be judged for the rest of his career. It was no longer good enough for him to merely be good enough. He made himself an intensely controversial distraction who now had to be good enough to not only play the position well, but also to justify all the controversy he would bring with him.
That’s why Colin Kaepernick doesn’t have a job. It’s not that he stinks as a quarterback, he’s just not good enough to justify the clown show he brings with him.
Mike Florio laments this dynamic, “It’s impossible to have a fair and honest debate about the propriety of the real reasons for shunning Kaepernick when the goalposts are constantly on grocery-cart wheels regarding the various phony ones.”
This misses the mark completely. The “goalposts” have been set in stone from the beginning, risk vs reward, and the NFL has decided the risk of signing Kaepernick outweighs the reward.
The media also betrays a lack of understanding with their charge that the NFL has blackballed Kaepernick. Reid lays out several reasons, he believes, constitute evidence that the league has decided to shut Kaepernick out:
▪ Far less accomplished signal-callers have signed with new teams, Davis being the most recent.
▪ Owners have criticized Kaepernick’s form of protest and cautioned that a team that signed him could encounter major problems with its fan base.
▪ President Donald Trump has gone in on Kaepernick as well.
But, something changed Monday. It felt like a new line was crossed. The Seahawks’ decision sent a loud message that the NFL could be completely done with Kaepernick.
Blackballing is a charge which requires evidence and Reid does not provide that here. Donald Trump’s tweets and stump speeches don’t prove anything, nor do owners warning of issues with the fan base, or Austin Davis getting a job. Evidence of blackballing would be audio, video, or written proof of owners conspiring and colluding to lock Kaepernick out.
Jason Reid is a journalist. If true evidence of the NFL blocking Kaepernick is out there, he could find it. If not, he should stop talking.
Florio closes his Mea Kaepernicka with this pathetic blurb, “…eventually there’s nothing more than can be said about a man who is unfairly being denied a chance to make a living in his chosen field, for reasons that remain conveniently concealed.”
This is sophistry. Kaepernick made a deliberate decision of his own free will. NFL owners are doing the same. Even if it wasn’t clear to Kaepernick, initially, just how unpopular his protest was, it certainly became clear to all concerned as the year went on. Yet, he decided to continue the protest.
Nothing unfair about that.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn
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