Why the Steelers should avoid signing Colin Kaepernick
By Tommy Jaggi
Ben Roethlisberger recently went down for the season with an elbow injury, and Mason Rudolph is set to take over. Here’s why Colin Kaepernick should not be considered an option for the Steelers.
The Steelers recently found out that Ben Roethlisberger will not be suiting up again this season. Pittsburgh traded quarterback Josh Dobbs to the Jacksonville Jaguars last week – leaving the Steelers depleted at the position.
Mason Rudolph had a promising 2019 preseason, but between him and promoted practice squad quarterback, Devlin Hodges, they haven’t started a single NFL game.
The Steelers could really use a veteran signal-caller who could help Rudolph prepare for each week, and I recently wrote an article on three players who would fit the bill.
However, Colin Kaepernick is not someone who Pittsburgh should be interested in signing.
According to recent reports, Kaepernick’s agent has reached out to three NFL teams ‘in need’ – the Steelers being listed among them.
We know all of the controversy that comes with Kaepernick, but there are plenty of other reasons he is not a viable option for the Steelers.
Kaepernick had a few solid seasons in the NFL, but he hasn’t stepped foot on the football field since 2016 when he lead the San Francisco 49ers to a 1-10 record in his 11 starts. He is now 5 years removed from being a full-time starting quarterback, and has a losing record throughout his career.
As a matter of fact, Kaepernick is just 11-24 in his three most recent NFL seasons, and he has only completed at least 60 percent of his passes once since 2012. Though he has reportedly been working out in an effort to stay in football shape, taking three years off from the game isn’t going to make him any better.
The Steelers have shown a lot of confidence in Mason Rudolph, and he showed a lot of promise in his first NFL action. However, bringing in Kaepernick could spark unwarranted quarterback controversy if Rudolph begins to struggle.
Instead, Pittsburgh would be much better off with a veteran leader who knows his responsibilities as a backup quarterback.
Next. Steelers show a great deal of faith in QB Mason Rudolph. dark
Don’t get me wrong; I did, at one point, believe Colin Kaepernick was a solid NFL quarterback. But that was all the way back in 2013. The Steelers have an uphill battle as it is. If they are to search for a veteran quarterback to help bring Rudolph along, it should be someone who has played football over the past three years.