Report: Colin Kaepernick Hasn't Been Contacted by Any Interested NFL Teams

Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick reportedly hasn't been contacted by any NFL teams expressing interest in signing him to a contract before the 2020 season.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Friday "no one has reached out to Kaepernick's camp to gather information or to do anything to suggest that interest exists."

The 32-year-old former San Francisco 49ers starter has remained on the open market since March 2017, having entered free agency after starting the movement to kneel during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality in August 2016.

"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick told NFL Media at the time. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."

He filled a collusion lawsuit against NFL owners alleging the league colluded to not sign him after his protest movement. The case was settled out of court in February 2019.

Kaepernick's actions have received renewed praise over the past month amid worldwide protests related to the same issues he raised four years ago after George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was killed while in Minneapolis Police custody in May.

The situation also brought on calls for an NFL team to sign the quarterback for 2020. Joe Lockhart, a former NFL executive, wrote an opinion piece for CNN urging the Minnesota Vikings to sign Kaepernick to send a "strong message" to the community.

"It will not solve the problem of Blacks and police violence," he wrote. "But it will recognize the problem that Kaepernick powerfully raised, and perhaps show that, with courage, real progress can be made."

Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN's Mike Greenberg that Kaepernick would be welcome back to the league either as a player or in another role related to social justice:

"Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it's going to take a team to make that decision. But I welcome that, support a club making that decision and encourage them to do that.

"If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities. We have invited him in before, and we want to make sure that everybody's welcome at that table and trying to help us deal with some very complex, difficult issues that have been around for a long time."

The NFL Network's Michael Silver reported Wednesday there's "legitimate interest from at least a couple of teams."

Kaepernick posted an 88.9 passer rating, which would rank 18th among active quarterbacks, across 69 appearances in six seasons with the Niners. He added 2,300 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

He hasn't taken an NFL snap since San Francisco's loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Jan. 1, 2017.