- The Washington Times - Sunday, December 9, 2018

It may not come as a surprise, given that it’s Week 14 in a 17-week season. But not only has quarterback Colin Kaepernick not gotten a job in the NFL this year, he hasn’t received a single call, neither from the Washington Redskins nor any other team.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter first provided the update on “Sunday NFL Countdown.”

“(His) phone has been crickets,” Schefter said. “Not a single team has called Kaepernick.”

The Redskins recently had to defend why they were not interested in signing Kaepernick, or at least in working him out, after losing both Alex Smith and Colt McCoy to leg injuries. Coach Jay Gruden said the team had “internal discussions” about it, but Schefter confirmed the Redskins did not call Kaepernick.

The coach chalked it up to a matter of scheme and style.

“Had this been Week 1, maybe it would probably be a greater possibility (to sign Kaepernick),” Gruden said. “But since this is Week 13 with four games to go, in order to really utilize really somebody (with) Colin Kaepernick’s skill set, you’re talking about a whole new group of formations and run concepts and all that good stuff. It’s just very difficult.”

Kaepernick is pursuing a collusion case against the NFL and its 32 teams for not signing someone of his skill set. He believes it is because he knelt during the national anthem before games in 2016, sparking a movement among fellow players to protest police brutality against black men.

The last time a team showed interest in Kaepernick was in April of this year, when the Seattle Seahawks scheduled a workout for him, then reneged. Reports said the Seahawks only wanted Kaepernick if he would promise not to kneel during the anthem, but he held his stance.

• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.

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