Colin Kaepernick has listed Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson, and Josh Allen as quarterbacks he would like to be on the opposing side against, reaffirming his desire to return to the NFL.
The 35-year-old, an outspoken civil rights activist, hasn't been in the NFL since 2017 following his departure from the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. But the quarterback is keeping in shape, training five-to-six days a week despite not having any workouts scheduled with a team.
And he's hoping that one day he can again play in the NFL against the league's new top quarterbacks, with Kaepernick praising the likes of two-time Super Bowl winner Mahomes, Philadelphia Eagles star Hurts, and Baltimore Ravens franchise player Jackson, all of who have a similar playing style to him, combining a strong arm and impressive mobility.
"[Patrick Mahomes] tops the list,” Kaepernick said to Sports Illustrated of quarterbacks he likes to watch. “Jalen Hurts, what he did last year, really coming into his own. You look at Lamar [Jackson], Josh Allen.
"A lot of very talented quarterbacks out there playing at high levels. I’m excited to see them continue to do their thing, and I hope I get to stand on the opposing sideline and go toe to toe with them.”
Kaepernick last had a workout with the Las Vegas Raiders in May 2022, where he is said to have impressed scouts. However, the workout failed to result in an offer for Kaepernick to return to the NFL, with Derek Carr, Jarrett Stidham, and Chase Garbers in the quarterback department deemed suitable.
"I'm going to keep pushing," Kaepernick said. "I'm going to keep fighting for it because I know I can step on the field and play. Every workout, every opportunity I've had to show that, the feedback has always been positive. Everything from, 'He's still an elite player,' to 'The workout was great; it was better than expected.'
"When I had my workout with the Raiders last year, even training with guys, there's a decent amount of people who may have forgotten what I was capable of doing on the field, so any chance to be able to remind people of what I can do out there, I look forward to and embrace, and I look forward to the day that I get to step on the field and show people what I can do."
Kaepernick believes that there was "something else within this decision" to not hand him a contract at the Raiders, with the free agent believing he's more than capable of doing a job compared to Stidham and Co.
"So, I just want the opportunity to come in, show what I can do on the field," he added. "Judge me based upon that, not the political bias that you have."
