TheBigLead.com is learning that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has not watched football in eight years, despite having expressed a desire to return to the league. In 2017, the 49ers told Kaepernick that they planned to cut him. Kaepernick’s recent admission comes in stark contrast to active NFL quarterbacks who typically watch a significant amount of game film as part of their development and preparation. “I haven’t watched a game in 8 years,” Kaepernick said. “Oh, I still check everybody’s stats. It also informs who my agent reaches out to, but I still check the stats.”Xxx Ckheadshot Jpg “I see what’s going on. I don’t ever turn a game on, though, because I’m not gonna support in that way, but I need to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s happening with quarterbacks out there,” Kaepernick added. Kaepernick claimed he is physically ready to play. “I still wake up every morning and train,” he said. “I get up at 3:30 a.m. and start my workday… I still train every day.” Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh previously claimed that he had offered Kaepernick a coaching position. Kaepernick previously accused the NFL of running a “slave auction” during player recruitment processes. Kaepernick denied the job, saying, “I am not interested in coaching,” and later expressed interest in joining Team USA for the Olympic flag football team. Kaepernick played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers, initially starting as a backup quarterback before becoming the team’s starter in the 2012 season. Prior to the NFL, Kaepernick played for the Nevada Wolf Pack, earning the WAC Offensive Player of the Year award twice and becoming the first NCAA Division I player to record 10,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards. In 2016, Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality, sparking a national debate over the protests and their implications. Kaepernick’s actions received polarized responses, with supporters praising his stance while critics condemned it. After becoming a free agent in 2017, Kaepernick was not signed by any NFL team, a situation many attributed to political reasons. Kaepernick filed a grievance for collusion against the NFL and its owners in 2017, which led to a legal case that was upheld by an arbitrator in August 2018. Kaepernick and Eric Reid reportedly split less than $10 million in NFL collusion settlement. Kaepernick’s protests gained renewed attention in 2020 during the George Floyd protests, yet he remains unsigned by any professional football team.