ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — John Elway would have been forgiven if he ignored the league’s invitation to attend Colin Kaepernick’s private workout Saturday afternoon in Atlanta.
Instead, Elway told 9NEWS he will send a pro scout to the NFL-organized Kaepernick workout and interview Saturday. Elway would not identify the pro scout he is sending to Atlanta.
A.J. Durso is the Broncos’ director of pro scouting. Other pro scouts are Jordan Dizon, Patrick Walsh, Rob Paton and Deon Randall. One of them will be in Atlanta.
Credit Elway for doing the right thing even if he had twice been jilted by Kaepernick.
Elway, remember had Kaepernick over to his house for a visit in the spring of 2016. Elway, the Broncos’ general manager then and now, was trying to sell the talented quarterback on playing for the defending Super Bowl champions instead of Kaepernicks’ 5-11 San Francisco 49ers.
All Kaepernick had to do was move some guaranteed money into incentives. Kaepernick turned down Elway’s overture and returned to the 49ers, where he got his money and finished 2-14.
Worse, Kaepernick’s lawyers later deposed Elway in the quarterback collusion grievance against the NFL.
Elway also just made a significant quarterback move by trading up in the second round of the 2019 Draft to select Drew Lock, who is getting ready to play at some point this season.
Still, Kaepernick’s football unemployment for going on three seasons has been bigger than even the NFL. Kaepernick took a stand against what he believes is social injustice in this country by first sitting, then kneeling during the playing of the National Anthem throughout the 2016 season.
Many believe his demonstrations – and the negative reaction to it by a large percentage of NFL fans – is why Kaepernick has not received a job offer in the 2 1/2 seasons since.
The league feels it’s good for the NFL, maybe even good for the country, for Kaepernick to workout for teams. The Broncos are part of the NFL. And so Elway is sending a scout to Atlanta on Saturday.
Who knows, maybe the scout will be impressed.
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