Colin Kaepernick is not only divisive in the public sphere, but also within his own front office.
The 49ers’ backup quarterback, who is protesting violence against people of color in America by kneeling during the national anthem, is apparently unwanted by general manager Trent Baalke, according to Bleacher Report. Yet first-year head coach Chip Kelly wants to keep Kaepernick and further develop the 28-year-old quarterback, according to the report.
That supposedly was made evident by Kelly using Kaepernick for three snaps near the end of San Francisco’s 28-0 blowout win over the Rams in Week 1, to prepare him to play later this season. After a poor training camp, weighed down by a shoulder injury, Kaepernick had lost his starting job to Blaine Gabbert.
Baalke may be feeling job pressure of his own. The 49ers have missed the playoffs two years in a row — which happened to coincide with Kaepernick’s game falling off. Any dismissal of Kaepernick, whether by trade or release, also would be freighted with the public relations implications of the 49ers distancing themselves from a player who has become synonymous with dissent in pro sports.
Since he was first noticed sitting on the bench during the national anthem in Week 3 of the preseason, Kaepernick’s protest — and articulate reasoning — has brought a lot of attention to him, both positive and negative. One of the most vocal public critics has been ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, who said it is Kaepernick’s job as a backup to “be quiet” and that his protests have “disrupted the organization” and “tore at the fabric of the team.”
Dilfer said there are many players in the league who are passionate about social issues, but don’t “use the platform that an organization — a team — gave them, to find it as a pulpit.”
It’s also been reported that Dilfer is a huge supporter of Baalke — calling him “the best GM in football” in 2013 — and in this instance, Dilfer could be using ESPN as his own pulpit to push Baalke’s agenda.