Activist/former NFL player Colin Kaepernick will once again take the field — at least digitally — via “Madden 21” by EA Sports.
The gaming staple touted its decision on Tuesday as a move that would “empower” fans and reflect hopes “for the future of football.”
“We’ve had a long relationship with Colin through ’Madden NFL’ and worked through our past soundtrack mistakes,” EA Sports tweeted. “We want to make ’Madden NFL’ a place that reflects Colin’s position and talent, rates him as a starting QB, and empowers our fans to express their hopes for the future of football.”
Feedback regarding the ex-San Francisco 49ers quarterback’s addition was mixed.
Critics noted that Kaepernick hasn’t played in years, yet was given ratings better than many of the league’s starting quarterbacks.
Supporters of the national anthem protester on Twitter framed criticism as “borderline racist.”
“Look: I have no issue with Kaepernick being included in the game,” responded Outkick’s Ryan Glasspiegel for the popular sports website. “I think he’s better even today than a lot of the league’s backups and maybe even a few of the starters. … But it’s insane to say he would be an above-average starter in the NFL, today, after missing the last three full seasons. This is pure pandering for attention on the part of EA Sports, and to a certain extent we’re giving them the attention that they want by running a post about the absurdity of it all.”
The reporter noted that EA Sports rated the activist as equal in overall ability with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger.
Welcome Back, Kap! pic.twitter.com/fmq6SkMAVf
— Madden NFL 21 (@EAMaddenNFL) September 8, 2020
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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