Mixing sports and politics is never a winning strategy for any sports person as the now unemployed 29 year Colin Kaepernick is finding out after Miami Dolphins signed up Jay Cutler instead of him.
The former 49er quarterback and Black Lives Matter (BLM) icon last year became a divisive figure with his political and social activism after refusing to stand for the National Anthem. When asked why he refused to stand and honour the anthem he said he was “not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of colour.”
Former 49ers seen here walking off the stadium with his fist up in the air in September 18, 2016. Credit: Gerry Melendez for ESPN
In taking his political views to the field to protest in protest of what he saw as Police brutality against the Black community, Kaepernick angered NFL fans across the country, a controversial move which led to the lowest ratings in the franchise’s history.
Colin Kaepernick’s political and social justice activism had been going on longer than anyone had realized. Before his protest against the National Anthem, he had been posting about social injustice on Instagram. This is a person who wore socks to a pre-game practice depicting cops as pigs and who also wore a pro-Castro t-shirt to a news conference.
The former 49er quarterback was not a team player but an agitator and provocateur who is perceived as a liability to the NFL and to any team and the NFL.
Colin Kaepernick brought his activism to the field, seen here wearing socks showing cops as pigs. Credit: Sacramento Bee
Kaepernick, who became a poster boy for the Left and the media in 2016 alienated himself from the Cuban community by showing his support for Cuban leader Fidel Castro when he showed up wearing a pro-Castro t-shirt at a press conference. He even went as far as stating that a potential signing would be the biggest mistake in Dolphins history, even if it cost Miami a playoff berth.
When questioned about the t-shirt depicting Fidel Castro whom others perceive as an oppressive dictator, Kaepernick defended Castro lauding him for investing more on the country’s education system than on the prison system, a jab to the American penal system. His stance and admiration of Castro made him the most unpopular sportsperson among Cuban-Americans in Florida, particularly in Miami which is home to the Dolphins.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick wearing a pro-Castro t-shirt during a press conference on Friday, Aug. 26, 2016. Credit: AP/Ben Margot
The Orlando Sentinel publication expressed local sentiments much better:
“Even if starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill is lost for the season and even if Kaepernick is the most viable option to help the Dolphins make a return to the playoffs, Miami’s vast Cuban population would explode if their hometown team signed a quarterback who has endorsed a brutal dictator responsible for killing thousands of Cubans and incarcerating tens of thousands of political prisoners,” wrote Mike Bianchi.
“Bringing Kaepernick to Miami would be like bringing Bill Cosby to a feminist convention,” he added.
Colin Kaepernick during a protest refusing to stand for the National Anthem and takes a knee instead. Credit: Getty Images
Colin Kaepernick caused major outrage among NFL fans and divided the nation over his refusal to stand during the National Anthem. While NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell denies reports that Kaepernick has been blacklisted, the quarterback remains a free agent without any major prospects.
At this stage, it appears there is no place for self-proclaimed social justice warrior Colin Kaepernick at the Miami Dolphins. Signing Kaepernick would be one of the biggest mistakes in Dolphin history, at least this is the overwhelming consensus among Dolphin fans and supporters.
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