Colin Kaepernick says he is ready to return to the NFL, and the 38-year-old quarterback believes he is good enough to start over a significant number of the league’s current starters. Kaepernick has not played a professional football game since January 1, 2017, but insists his preparation has never stopped.
In recent interviews with NPR, NBC and Men’s Health, Kaepernick confirmed he still wants an NFL contract and is actively training to earn one. He told NBC he no longer watches football because he does not want to support a league he believes is blackballing him, but added he would step onto the field today if given the chance.
Kaepernick’s Training Routine at 38
Kaepernick described a demanding daily schedule in an interview with Men’s Health, one that starts before dawn. “I still train five days a week. I’m up at 4:30 in the morning doing my training before I go about the rest of my day,” he said. “I have to do everything that is in my control to make sure I am prepared. Whether that is training, whether that is making the right calls. I want to make sure that, what I have control over, I am showing up the best way possible there.”
While he avoids watching games, Kaepernick told US Weekly he monitors quarterback stat lines to identify which teams might need help. When asked how many current starters he could outperform, he pointed to Colin Kaepernick NFL comeback and said, “It’s tough to say [exactly how many] because I haven’t been watching the games, but I will check the stat lines to see where quarterbacks are at. Based upon that, I think there’s a good amount.”
Nearly a Decade Out of the League
Kaepernick’s last NFL start came when the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks by two points. In the years since, he drew interest from Seattle, Baltimore and Tennessee in 2017. Las Vegas hosted him for an official workout in 2022, and Houston, Los Angeles and New York also evaluated him at various points. Both the AAF and XFL extended offers, but Kaepernick held out for an NFL contract that never materialized.
At his peak, Kaepernick was one of the league’s most dynamic players. The 49ers traded up to select him with the 26th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, and he set the NFL single-game record for rushing yards by a quarterback during a 2012 playoff win over Green Bay. He led San Francisco to a 12-4 record in 2013, though the team declined from there, and he finished his career with a 28-30 overall record. His decision to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality remains the defining public controversy of his career.
What Comes Next for Kaepernick
For now, Kaepernick says he is doing everything within his control while waiting for a team to call. With the 2025 NFL season underway, it remains to be seen whether any franchise will extend an invitation for a workout or a contract. At 38, the window for a return is narrow, but Kaepernick shows no sign of stepping away from his pursuit.
