Tim Tebow's second shot at glory gets Colin Kaepernick trending again

Jacksonville, Florida - Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is making headlines once again after being given yet another opportunity to succeed in football, but it doesn't come without controversy.

Tim Tebow is getting another shot at NFL glory with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Tim Tebow is getting another shot at NFL glory with the Jacksonville Jaguars.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

In what was a shock to many, Tim Tebow (33) has been handed another chance to play in the NFL with the Jacksonville Jaguars, without much effort on his part.

Quite the feat, considering his resume as an NFL player is seen by many as "mediocre" at its very best. Not to mention, this new opportunity has Tebow trying for a spot as a tight end, a position he's never played before in college, nor in pro football.

Put it this way, there are so many former players with ratings and performances similar to Tebow's that they could fill three seasons' worth of The Bachelorette cast . But on a more serious note, this new opportunity for Tebow also brought another name back into the discussion.

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That name is Colin Kaepernick.

Does Tebow deserve to be brought back in?

Kaepernick hasn't played in an NFL game since 2016, when his contract with the San Francisco 49ers ended.
Kaepernick hasn't played in an NFL game since 2016, when his contract with the San Francisco 49ers ended.  © IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

Kaepernick hasn't played in an NFL game since 2016, when his contract with the San Francisco 49ers ended and none of the other 31 NFL teams bothered to sign him.

By then, Tebow had already been through four teams in six years and was just getting his feet wet in minor league baseball. Normally, someone with a track record like his wouldn't even be allowed near an NFL practice facility just to use the bathroom.

Therein lies the controversy over this new opportunity for Tebow. Many have already wondered why he is still getting chances after being such an underachieving player. And more to the point, how can he be given another chance so easily, while Kaepernick continues to be black-balled and forced to jump through hoops to get the league's attention?

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Nearly everyone who can read between the lines can see that perhaps the answer has something to do with skin color, not athletic prowess.

When Tebow is signed, it'll certainly drive the point home that it's never been about Kap's talent, but more so his opinions on social justice and his activism, things that Tebow isn't exactly associated with.

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Colin Kaepernick continues to work for social justice and civil rights.
Colin Kaepernick continues to work for social justice and civil rights.  © Screenshot/Instagram/colin kaepernick

Kaepernick became a hugely influential figure during his last season in the league. He started staging a silent protest against police brutality by kneeling during the pre-game playing of the US National Anthem.

Since then, the NFL has made some lackluster efforts to help foster positive change in race-related social justice issues. Many supporters are now crying foul at the NFL for what they argue is the blatant hypocrisy of favoring players like Tebow who don't speak up often, if at all, for racial equality.

To be clear, the NFL hasn't fully ignored Kaepernick's past desires to play again. The league was practically compelled to at least oblige his requests after he filed a grievance against the NFL in 2017. The league settled and eventually cooperated in setting up a private tryout session for him in 2019, but it weirdly didn't go completely as planned when logistical details were changed at the last minute at the request of Kaepernick.

Colin Kaepernick continues to work for social justice and civil rights through his namesake publishing company, as well as with assistance from his ongoing sponsorship with Nike.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / ZUMA Wire

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