Elway Reveals He Offered Kaepernick Contract, 'He Had His Chance'
Denver Broncos’ general manager John Elway stated on Thursday that his team will not be signing controversial quarterback Colin Kaepernick, explaining “he had his chance.”
Following reports that the Broncos may be looking for a veteran quarterback as a backup to starter Case Keenum, Elway was asked during a news conference if Kaepernick was “a viable option.”
“You know what, and I said this a while ago: Colin had his chance to be here. We offered him a contract. He didn’t take it,” the Pro Football Hall of Famer answered. “As I said in my deposition, I don’t know if I’ll be legally able to say this, but he’s had his chance to be here. He passed it.”
ESPN reported that Elway gave a deposition in May for Kaepernick’s attorneys as part of their client’s collusion case against the National Football League.
Kaepernick, 30, is arguing the reason he has not been signed with a team after leaving the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 is because the NFL team owners are working together to blackball him in response to his national anthem protests and other social activism.
According to ESPN, Elway met twice with Kaepernick in the spring of 2016, while seeking to work out a trade for him with the 49ers.
The trade would have involved Kaepernick taking a cut from $11.9 million to a $7 million guaranteed salary.
Whether the 49ers would have picked up the difference is not clear.
In April 2016, Kaepernick passed on the offer, deciding to stay with San Francisco.
A few months later he began his pre-game sideline protests, first sitting and later kneeling during the national anthem.
Kaepernick has not played since the 2016 season.
Steven Ruiz with USA Today’s “ForTheWin” believes the fact that Kaepernick turned the Broncos down two years ago is clearly not the only reason Elway isn’t interested now, implying the national anthem protests are likely in the mix too.
The league and the NFL Players Association have yet to announce a policy for this season regarding demonstrations during the anthem.
The NFL announced a policy in the spring requiring players to either stand for the anthem or remain in the locker room, but the league and the players union agreed in July to put that rule on hold.
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