What to Make of the Colin Kaepernick NFL "Tryout"

It seems like Colin Kaepernick is going to get a shot at making a NFL team next week. That much is good. It is a step. But, I have a ton of mixed feelings about this workout that is happening in a few days.

I want to get the bad out of the way first. This feels like the coup of publicity stunts. I mean, the NFL called his people and told him to be in Atlanta for this tryout. He didn't get to pick the day, location or people he wants around for this tryout. This is all being done on their watch, and that is shady as hell. I feel like the NFL thinks, at least the higher ups, that they are in a win win situation. If he gets signed they can say, "see, we didn't blackball him", and if he doesn't get signed they can say, "well, he is too old, and the tryout proved that today". They cannot literally say anything wrong, in their eyes. It is just so weird that this is coming on so sudden. I know that Kaepernick, who has handled this as gracefully as one can, more on that when I get to the good, says he is ready. But, this is so spur of the moment, and even though he is a pro, he hasn't played in 3 years, and the tryout is in a few days. It doesn't feel like enough time. It feels like the NFL is setting him up to fail, and that is so immoral. I think Jerry Jones saying this is good is a real problem. Jones is the epitome of an owner who literally thinks he owns the team, and the players. He is old, racist and insanely rich and stupid. He could care less about the well being of a young person, as long as that person is a good football player. so, for him to be on board with this, I feel like the NFL went to him personally and asked him to say he likes this. I would bet a good sum of money that Roger Goodell and Jones had a meeting prior to this, and Goodell asked him to say he likes this, for a certain amount of cash. And as I said at the top, I don't like the small amount of notice they gave Kaeperninck. This is no time to really get yourself ready for a tryout like this. I would imagine that most, if not all, of the teams will have a representative there to watch. And Kaepernick is going to have to be perfect. Any slip up, and he is toast. That is a shame. I mean, guys coming into the draft have multiple chances to show themselves to teams before being picked. They have the combine, pro days and private workouts, all made on their own schedules. And as far as signing a vet off the street, even those guys get time to get themselves ready. They get a call, are asked to come in for a tryout, and then, if they make the team, sometimes have a few weeks worth of practice with the team. Kaepernick gets none of this, and that is grossly unfair. He has a few days to get himself ready for what may be the biggest tryout for a professional athlete ever. That is insane.

As far as what I think is "good" about this, it is a few things. One, I am glad he is actually getting a shot. I know that I said the time constraints and timing of this is bad, but still, he is getting an opportunity to tryout. I also adore the way he has handled this. Like I said before, he has shown nothing but grace and composure during this past week. He has tweeted out his happiness at a tryout. He is going to be as prepared as he can be. He has been staying in shape. He is still continuing to help his community. Colin Kaepernick is a great human being, and he will be remembered for so much more than just this tryout.

Finally, I think he is going to crush at this tryout. He is going to look good. He will make the throws. He will make the right decisions and he will be phenomenal. He is going to almost force a team, or teams, to sign him. He fits with a ton of teams right now too. The tanking teams, like Miami or Cincinnati or Washington or the Jets or Denver, he is better than any starting QB they currently have on their roster. He would also fit in perfectly as a backup with Dallas or Houston or Kansas City or Green Bay. Hell, I would much rather have him backing up Aaron Rodgers than whoever in the hell is his current backup.

Look, I am a big time supporter of Kaepernick's and I want him to make. I think the NFL is trying to save face with this tryout, hoping that he may not be as good as he was, and it will blow up in their face. He is going to do great, and he is going to get signed. I fully believe that, and I fully believe that is what the NFL doesn't want to happen. We will soon know, and I will be rooting hard for him to make it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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