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As Colin Kaepernick continues to make a push for a return to the NFL, he’s lending his help to another league in need of his services.
Kaepernick has reportedly invested in Ice Cub’s BIG3 league, a 3-on-3 basketball competition. The organization was on the verge of potentially shutting down when Kaepernick decided to help, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Kaepernick, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016, worked out for the Raiders in May at the team’s facility. He last played for the 49ers and was eventually released at the end of the 2016 season. He was never signed by a team in free agency after he made waves in the NFL for kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest police brutality and institutionalized racism in America.
The BIG3 was founded by rapper and actor Ice Cube along with former entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The league features many former NBA players, some who have continued their playing career and some as coaches.
Kaepernick believed he was never signed by an NFL team because of his peaceful protests and the political attention that his kneeling brought. He filed a grievance with the NFL in 2017, accusing league owners of colluding to blackball him, and he eventually reached a confidential settlement with the league.
Since then, the 34-year-old has stayed active politically and has constantly stated he still wants to play in the NFL. During an October 2021 interview, and several times since, Kaepernick said he still trains so he can one day lead an NFL team to a Super Bowl.
During an appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast in April, Kaepernick stated he’d be open to returning to the NFL as a backup quarterback.
“I know I have to find my way back in. So if I have to come in as a backup, that’s fine,” he said in April.
