The Seattle Seahawks made headlines a couple of weeks ago after announcing the team planned on granting free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick a visit. The team also brought in former Cleveland Browns quarterback Austin Davis. Davis last played in an NFL season in 2015, a year he ended by throwing one touchdown and three interceptions. Davis has appeared in 10 games throughout his career and has a 3-7 record in those games. So far in his NFL career, Kaepernick has completed 1,011 passes after 1,692 attempts. Kaepernick has thrown for 72 career touchdowns and 30 interceptions. Davis is 28 years old and Kaepernick is 29 years old.
So why didn’t Seattle sign the more experienced Kaepernick to be the team’s backup?
“He’s a starter in this league,” Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said after team OTAs on June 3. “We have a starter. You know, but he’s a starter in this league and I can’t imagine someone not giving him a chance to play.”
A reporter at the press conference followed up Coach Carroll’s statement by asking why Kaepernick isn’t currently a starter for a team in the league.
“That’s not my issue,” he said. “We brought him in to check him out and we know what we’re doing with him … I think it was very productive to get to know him better. I’ve never really sat down and talked to the guy.”
The reporter followed up again with the most important question: Do you think his stance last year has impacted his ability to get employment?
“I don’t know that,” Coach Caroll said. “Let’s wait and see. There [are] some other guys still out too.”
Kaepernick made headlines last season when he decided to protest and not stand for the national anthem in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Since his public protest, Kaepernick used his time away from the field to serve the community, including giving out 100 suits to parolees.
Certainly, a quarterback like Kaepernick that has a career 59.75 percent completion rating and a 28-30 career record isn’t among the game’s elite, but having a winning playoff record of 4-2 and starting in a Super Bowl five years ago should guarantee him at least a third-string job.
