The last time that Colin Kaepernick competed in a professional football game was in 2017 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers against the Seattle Seahawks, their NFC West division rivals. Although Kaepernick's lone Super Bowl appearance with the franchise that drafted him in 2011 did not produce a Vince Lombardi Trophy like the two previous 49ers' quarterbacks who reached the big game (Joe Montana and Steve Young), he left his mark with two record-breaking performances against the Aaron Rodgers-led Green Bay Packers during the 2013 playoffs and the 2014 postseason. 

The reason why Kaepernick never suited up for another NFL team after the 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks 25-23, six years ago remains a highly debated topic to this very day. Many pundits like Nick Wright and Max Kellerman believe it because of his social decision to kneel during the National Anthem before NFL games. At the same time, critics such as Jason Whitlock and Mark Schlereth argued that he did not actually want to play football or he simply wasn't good enough to maintain an active roster spot.

In 2019, Kaepernick (who passed for 16 touchdowns and four interceptions with a passer rating of 90.7 in his final NFL season) attempted a comeback when the NFL reached out to him about a public workout. However, due to conflicting requirements and scheduling, the two sides failed to correctly arrange a showcase that a majority of NFL scouts could attend. Two years later, the former quarterback worked out for Mark Davis and the Las Vegas Raiders but no contract was offered. Last month, Kaepernick reached out to Woody Johson, the owner of the New York Jets, about joining the team's practice squad after the team lost Aaron Rodgers to a season-ending ACL injury, but his attempt was to no avail.

The Rock recently extended an offer that may have represented Kaepernick's final hope of returning to the gridiron as a professional football player. The WWE Hall of Famer and owner of the XFL reportedly tried to sign Kaepernick to his upstart league after meeting with his representatives, but unfortunately, the two sides failed to reach an agreement. The XFL season is slated to begin in February 2024, shortly after Super Bowl LVIII. So, there is still time for Kaepernick's comeback story to end on his terms. But for now, that notion remains unlikely. 

For more on this story, stay tuned.

Source: Instagram