Job Application

On the TunneySide of Sports December 2, 2019 #772 Up next… Job Application

After further review… This blog/column has taken-up the Colin Kaepernick issue – some may term it a saga–in earlier writings. As you may recall, Kaep was the San Francisco 49ers second-round draftee in 2011 having had a successful college career at the University of Nevada, where he was twice player-of-the-year in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

After being the backup quarterback to Alex Smith in the 2013 season, Kaep became the starter when Smith got hurt. Kaep took that 2013 49ers team to Super Bowl XLVII losing to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31. Over the next three years, Kaep lost his starting job. In the third pre-season game in the 2016 season, Kaep decided to kneel while the pre-game National Anthem was being played. It was his way of protesting social injustice and systematic oppression in the United States. After three years of continuing his kneeling protest and not being a starter, he opted-out of his 49ers contract and became a free agent in 2017.

Kaepernick, as of this writing, is still a free agent as 32 NFL teams seem unwilling to employ him. As a free agent looking for a “job,” it appears he is not going about seeking employment as most unemployed people do. Granted Kaep’s unemployment may be out of the ordinary. He’s not applying for a job at In and Out Burger – “you want fries with that?” This is the NFL.

Some teams feel that, given Kaep’s protest history, he may be more of a distraction and liability than a productive teammate. Some fans and ticket holders have voiced a dislike for his disrespect of the flag and the tradition of standing during the anthem. Does Kaep have a freedom-of-expression right? Of course, he does. However, since he is doing it on company-time, do teams have a right to insist that he follow reasonable team procedures?

The issue for the TunneySide is not a racial issue or right of expression, but simply one of behavior. Kaep’s recent insistence that whoever was interested in employing him attend the scheduled workout that he set up. It was not an employers’ idea or procedures to establish the workout/interview. Kaep set the time and place for this job interview. Some 25 NFL teams indicated they would attend. At the last minute Kaep changed location and conditions, which didn’t sit well with interested NFL teams. Only eight teams sent representatives.

Will you log-in your thoughts about Kaep’s approach to a job application?

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