At this point, discussing Colin Kaepernick’s NFL return is akin to debating whether LeBron James will finally retire—it has been going on for years, yet the conversation never dies. The controversial 49ers star hasn’t taken a snap in the league since 2016, but if the latest rumors are to be believed, Kaepernick is still hoping for another chance to play in the big league.
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The former NFL star has continued his workout and training regime to keep himself ready in hopes of getting a call from a team. A glimpse of this was in his interview with CBS Mornings from last year when Kaepernick announced that his NFL dream is far from over.
“It was 15 years of work and dedication before I ever stepped foot on an NFL field, and to have that passion and chase it for that long, you don’t just give that up. You chase that. You pursue it.”
And yet, teams continue to ignore Kaepernick, even as he keeps himself in shape and pushes for an opportunity. His last known workout was with the Las Vegas Raiders back in 2022, but it went nowhere.
TRENDING: Veteran quarterback Colin Kaepernick is still a free agent.
Kaepernick has said that he still wants to play football in the #NFL and be a starting QB.
Colin is 37 years old and has not played in 8 seasons. pic.twitter.com/NrXUEx6UUt
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 30, 2025
As we approach another NFL season, the return of Colin Kaepernick has been the subject of heated fan debate. While the majority believe that the 37-year-old’s time in the big league is over, one X user interestingly wondered why Kaepernick hasn’t tried joining the UFL if football is his passion. “Why has he never joined the UFL? He’s had options,” wrote @JordanGrow17 on X.
This is a fair point raised by the fan. Kaepernick playing in the UFL would help him in two ways: first, it would allow him to grow his fanbase, and second, his UFL exploits might give the NFL executives some idea about the QB’s current match fitness. So, the question is, why hasn’t Colin considered being part of secondary football leagues?
For starters, some fans believe that the QB continues expressing his intent to return to the NFL just to stay relevant in the media.
“He does not actually want to play football,” said @takeoverjoe69.
“Cuz he don’t want to play. He just wants to be relevant. He never had skill. He was never gonna be know as an “elite qb”. He was never gonna be remembered in football history for his abilities,” said @PhilpotZac60790.
Others argued that all Colin cares about is attention. And we all know that the UFL cannot keep pace with the NFL when it comes to viewership and revenue. “Because it’s “beneath him” there aren’t enough eyeballs on him…” wrote @wrestlericky on X.
Regardless of where fans and analysts stand on this subject, one thing is clear—Kaepernick isn’t ready to give up. Nor will he admit it anytime soon. The question remains: will an NFL team ultimately offer him a chance?
