Around New England

Joe Kennedy III Says New England Patriots Should Sign Colin Kaepernick

June 10, 2020

U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III has joined the growing movement on the Left to try to get a National Football League team to give Colin Kaepernick a roster spot — specifically, the New England Patriots.

“The NFL should apologize to Colin Kaepernick and the Patriots should sign him,” Kennedy tweeted on Tuesday, June 9.

Kennedy describes himself as a “Boston sports super-fan” in his Twitter self-description.

The NFL should apologize to Colin Kaepernick and the Patriots should sign him.

— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) June 9, 2020

Kaepernick, now 32, was a backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 when he began protesting what he has described as unjustified police violence against black men during the national anthem at the beginning of football games, first by sitting and then by kneeling on one knee.

He had been the 49ers’ starting quarterback from partway through the 2012 season through midway through the 2015 season, when he was benched.

After the protests in 2016, the 49ers told Kaepernick they planned to release him, and he opted out of his contract in March 2017. Kaepernick has not been signed by an NFL team since.