Two AFC teams considered adding Colin Kaepernick this offseason

Colin Kaepernick had two suitors in the AFC this offseason.

With the 2020 NFL season set to kickoff while the coronavirus still runs rampant throughout the United States, the universal expectation was all 32 teams will carry extra quarterbacks in case there’s an outbreak of the virus.

With that, everyone believed this was the time for Colin Kaepernick to finally receive a warm welcome back into the league, especially with social justice protests taking place. According to reports, that almost happened, but nothing was finalized.

Mike Silver of NFL Media said that two unnamed AFC teams were interested in potentially bringing in Kaepernick, but talks “fizzled out.”

“No action the last two months. There were two teams, both in the AFC, that were looking at him, that I know of, a couple months ago,” Silver said on “Inside Training Camp Live,” via NFL.com. “You also had a situation where the rules on tryouts were a potential impediment with all the COVID testing and the protocols and the days of delay. But that has now changed. It’s just a bizarre state of affairs.”

No sign that Kaepernick joins an NFL team this year

This offseason, there was talk about Kaepernick possibly receiving a look from some teams in the league. Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn and Las Vegas Raiders owner Al Davis said back in June that they were open to bringing in the former San Francisco 49ers signal caller for a workout, but never did.

It’s important to note that these two teams have not been confirmed by Silver as the unnamed AFC squads.

Talks of Kaepernick returning to the NFL heated up this past May following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. After not showing support for Kaepernick back in 2016 for protesting police brutality and systemic racism, the league finally had his back four years later.

Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement in support of his players’ right to protest and the Black Lives Matter movement. Goodell even said that he would like to see Kaepernick get signed by a team this year.

Protests for racial equality and police reform continue to go on after Jacob Blake, an African American man, was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha, Wis. police officer nearly two weeks ago. That has led to players in the NBA, NHL and MLB pausing their games to raise awareness and create changes in their respective communities.

Additionally, the NFL will have social justice statements printed in the end zones and players will be allowed to wear the names of police brutality victims on the back of their helmets.

All momentum Kaepernick gained this summer is virtually gone. However, that can all change if a team gives Kaepernick a call during the season in the event a starter or backup go down with an injury.