Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy says Colin Kaepernick remains unemployed both for on-field and off-field reasons, but of the two, the on-field reasons are more important.
Asked on the Dan Patrick Show what the biggest reason is that Kaepernick is still not on an NFL team, Dungy answered, “I think it’s the perception of his talents.”
Dungy added that Kaepernick’s decision to knee for the national anthem last season certainly affects teams’ opinions of him, but Dungy believes that if a team thought Kaepernick was good enough to start, he would get a contract regardless of the anthem controversy.
“Yes, it all stems back to not [standing] for the national anthem and the reaction that that’s going to get from fans. But if people perceived Colin Kaepernick as a difference maker, as a guy who could be their starting quarterback and help them win games, he would be signed now and people would deal with the repercussions,” Dungy said. “I think everybody sees him maybe as a backup. Is he a guy who can really help us? Am I just going to get three or four games a year? If that’s the case, it’s not worth the headache, it’s not worth the distraction, it’s not worth the number of fans we would turn off.”
Asked whether he would want Kaepernick if he were still coaching, Dungy said it would depend on the type of offense his team ran. Dungy said a team that wants a pocket passer wouldn’t see Kaepernick as the right player, but he thinks Seattle could be a good fit because Kaepernick can do some of the same things Russell Wilson does.
So far, the Seahawks have been the only team reported to show any interest in Kaepernick at all.