Joe Theismann became a household name among non-sports fans when the vicious tackle made by Lawrence Taylor that ended his football career was featured in the film “The Blind Side.”
Theismann is no stranger to an NFL career ending abruptly, and he suspects Colin Kaepernick is in a similar situation, although for an entirely different reason.
Kaepernick is still jobless, but many posit he’ll get a call if a team’s starting quarterback gets injured. However, Theismann disagrees.
Theismann believes Kaepernick is realizing how sacrosanct the American flag is, and his form of protest might’ve poisoned the well for good.
From NBC Sports Bay Area:
Super Bowl champion and NFL MVP Joe Theisman is in South Lake Tahoe for the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship this weekend.
He was asked by FanRag Sports about a handful of NFL quarterbacks. Here’s what he had to say about former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, according to the website:
Theismann said he doesn’t believe NFL owners are comfortable dealing with the public backlash that would come with signing Kaepernick. … It has been speculated that the only way Kaepernick will get a job is if a quarterback gets injured in training camp or in a game. Yet, Theismann said he isn’t so sure.
“Talent wise, he is one of the best 90 quarterbacks in the NFL,” Theismann said. “But he learned how sacred the flag is to everybody.”
Theismann said he didn’t necessarily believe there is an organized blackballing of Kaepernick going on among team owners, but he thinks they all feel the same way about the idea of having Kaepernick on their team.
Theismann particularly disapproved of Kaepernick’s anthem protest.
From Sports Illustrated:
Joe Theismann criticized the San Francisco 49ers for giving quarterback Colin Kaepernick the team’s Len Eshmont Award, awarded to the player who “best exemplified the inspirational and courageous play” of Eshmont, questioning what Kaepernick has done to inspire courage.
“You’re a 2-14 football team. He’s won one football game. What has he inspired?”
Kaepernick started 11 of 12 games for the 49ers this season, passing for 2,241 yards and 16 touchdowns with a 59.2% completion rate to earn a 1–10 quarterback record.
[…]
Kaepernick sparked a national debate by kneeling during the national anthem before games as a way of protesting racial injustice and police brutality.
The former Redskins quarterback disagreed with the protest, as well as with commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of it.
“I don’t agree with what he’s done,” Theismann said of Goodell. “As a matter of fact, the American flag … stands for the right to be able to do the things you want to do, to be able to stand up and have a difference of opinion. I agree with that part of it, but not when you’re on the job.”
“Everybody has the right to express their opinion, but not in the workplace.”
Theismann called on the NFL to adopt a policy requiring players to stand for the anthem.
Colin Kaepernick chose to make himself a distraction, which is a cardinal sin, especially for a non-marquee player, but most especially for the backup quarterback.
Kaepernick has also doubled down on his disdain for America, so his prospects of finding a job continue to dwindle.
It’s amazing to see a young player who’s still capable of playing completely blow-torch his career, but Kaepernick continues to do so.
He appears to have a future in activism, so he can get a head start on that phase of his life.