The NFL is inviting all 32 teams to a private workout for free-agent and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick at the Atlanta Falcons facilities in Atlanta, GA on Saturday.
In a last minute memo, the NFL reached out to Kaepernick’s agents to let him know that he will be able to do interviews and conduct an on-field workout in front of GMs and head coaches. A video of the workout will be provided for those who cannot attend.
The move comes in response to Kaepernick’s representatives revealing that they have not received any serious inquiries from the 32 NFL teams since Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem in protest to police brutality and racial injustice in 2016 and opted out of his contract in 2017.
“Earlier this year, we discussed some possible steps with his representatives and they recently emphasized his level of preparation and that he is ready to work out for clubs and be interviewed by them,” said the NFL memo to Kaepernick’s representatives. “We have therefore arranged this opportunity for him to workout, and for all clubs to have the opportunity to evaluate his current readiness and level of interest in resuming his NFL career.”
Kaepernick, 32, has said that he has continuously been working out five days a week for the last three years in preparation for his opportunity to play again.
NFL’s memo, however, comes at a surprise for Kaepernick and his representatives who were informed about the workout on Tuesday, giving the football player and NFL teams only four days to plan arrangements for the workout.
Kaepernick’s representatives did request for the workout to be pushed back to the following Tuesday or Saturday to ensure that all teams could attend and the private workout wouldn’t interfere with Sunday football games. However, the NFL refused to move the date.
Even more daunting to Kaepernick’s reps was the fact that they had to make a decision to conduct the workout by 4 PM EST on the same day that the memo was sent out. None of the NFL teams had been notified about the workout prior to Tuesday, giving his reps hardly any leeway or say in the planning of the workout.
So far, the Dallas Cowboys and an unidentified source from a NFC team expressed interest in attending the workout, which will be closed to media.
