Now that the 2018 NFL season is in full swing, rumors about Colin Kaepernick potentially signing with a team will command headlines, make waves and fire up both his supporters and detractors.
Jon Gruden enters his first season as the high-paid head coach of the newly-packaged Oakland Raiders and had some interesting things to say about the possibility of Kaepernick returning to the NFL. Gruden was known for making splashes in his first go-round as a Super Bowl-winning coach with Tampa Bay back in 2003 and he decided to be the first person to start the Colin Kaepernick conversation.
Sports Illustrated on Twitter
Jon Gruden says he is ‘surprised’ Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned https://t.co/UmKazLWdJx
ESPN reported that Jon Gruden had an interesting opinion on Kaepernick’s current unemployment status.
Paul Gutierrez on Twitter
Jon Gruden, on Colin Kaepernick: “A lot of intrigue there…he got beat out by Blaine Gabbert to start the year; that says something . But I’m surprised he’s not in camp with somebody yet. He will be soon.” https://t.co/GzqjWb4MTo
The statement could imply many things. Are the Raiders planning to sign Kaepernick who has been working out regularly and was throwing lasers two weeks ago? Gruden’s the frisky type.
He fleeced the Raiders in contract negotiations and wouldn’t mind coming in and going against the grain by signing Kaepernick. It fits with the old Raiders philosophy of embracing the misfits and misunderstood and would also gain him a legion of fans…and probably a ton of hate mail. Attention, nevertheless.
Maybe the well-connected Gruden knows of another franchise that might be willing to sign the blackballed QB. People will continue to speculate about Kaepernick and how much longer he’ll be unemployed yet we know that his name will continue to come up whenever an inferior quarterback is given a job.
