Tom Brady sounds more than willing to welcome Colin Kaepernick back to the fraternity of NFL quarterbacks.
Kaepernick made waves in the football world this weekend when he held a public workout for NFL teams and media Saturday in Atlanta. The workout was supposed to be an NFL-sanctioned event, but that fell apart over apparent distrust on Kaepernick’s side. He ultimately showed his stuff in front of a handful of teams (not including the Patriots) at a local school.
By all accounts, Kaepernick threw the ball well, but it doesn’t sound like there’s any immediate momentum for the ex-San Francisco 49ers QB to get back on a roster somewhere. Brady, however, is pulling for Kaepernick in his bid to return to the league after a three-year absence.
“I said the other day, it’s just great that he got an opportunity,” Brady said Monday morning on WEEI. “Hopefully, he makes the most of it. It’s like everyone in the NFL: It’s a great privilege to play and do something you love to do. I’ve felt that way for a long time. Hopefully, he gets an opportunity. I think that’s kind of how I feel. I like Colin. I got to know Colin a little bit, and obviously he’s hoping he can play.”
Brady’s support for Kaepernick shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. The Patriots quarterback has shown support via social media in the past, and more pointedly, Brady said in 2017 he hoped Kaepernick would catch on somewhere, saying he’s “certainly qualified” to play in the NFL.
If a team decides to sign Kaepernick, it will do so knowing he comes with a certain amount of controversy that still lingers even three years after he first took a knee during the national anthem. But count Brady among those believing Kaepernick’s talent warrants him another look.
