NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he is not a ‘football person’ when asked if controversial free agent Colin Kaepernick should be signed to an NFL roster
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he was not a ‘football person’ when asked if he believes controversial former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick should be signed to an NFL roster with the regular season starting on Thursday night.
‘One thing I do as a commissioner is, I don’t make those decisions,’ Goodell told FS1. ‘I’m not a football expert.’
Kaepernick has remained unsigned since drawing the ire of fans last season when he protested police violence against minorities by kneeling during ‘The Star Spangled Banner.’ A number of players throughout the league followed suit, which seemed to upset fans even further, making the issue a lightning rod for controversy around the league.
‘All my years being in the league,’ Giants co-owner John Mara previously told MMQB, ‘I never received more emotional mail from people than I did about that issue.’
Goodell, however, did say that he hopes to see Kaepernick get an opportunity to play in the NFL again.
‘The thing we are always about was meritocracy and opportunity,’ Goodell said. ‘I want to see everybody get an opportunity, including Colin. But those are decisions that are made by football people.’
Kaepernick was actually a popular player over his first three seasons, helping the San Francisco 49ers reach three NFC championship games and a Super Bowl. However, the former University of Nevada star posted an 11-24 record as starter over the last three seasons and has remained unemployed since opting out of his contract back in March.
Several anonymous NFL executives recently told MMQB that they do not believe that Kaepernick has been blackballed by the NFL.
‘To me, the protests, all that, it wasn’t even a factor for us,’ said one executive. ‘It was the ability to fit within our offense.’
Colin Kaepernick drew the ire of fans in 2016 when he protested police violence against minorities by kneeling during the national anthem
Goodell acknowledged on Thursday that how a player fits into a particular scheme—which is to say, how much knowledge and experience with a team’s system a player has—plays into whether or not that player will be signed.
‘When teams have a need, and when teams feel like they can get better by a particular individual, whether they know the system or have more talent or whatever it may be, that’s what they’re going to do,’ Goodell said. ‘And I’m still convinced that he’ll get that opportunity when that opportunity comes along.’
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers told ESPN that he believes Kaepernick is being blackballed.
‘I think he should be on a roster right now,’ Rodgers said. ‘I think because of his protests, he’s not.’
Kaepernick has had an up-and-down career as an NFL starter, but his statistics are comparable and even superior to some current highly-paid quarterbacks.
In 2012, he led the NFL with 8.6 yards per passing attempt, and while Kaepernick’s career record as a starter is just 28-30, he has tossed for 72 career touchdowns and just 30 interceptions.
For comparison’s sake, the Miami Dolphins recently gave a one-year, $10 million contract to previously retired quarterback Jay Cutler, who twice led the NFL in interceptions and has a 68-71 record as an NFL starter.