Trump Says He "Absolutely" Would Support Kaepernick's Return To NFL

Trump did a whole 180 on his support for Colin Kaepernick.

BYAron A.
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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Donald Trump has been extremely vocal about his stance on Colin Kaepernick. He's referred to the former 49ers quarterback as a "son of a bitch" for kneeling and downplayed Kaep's skills as an athlete. He even went as far as claiming that Kaep's athleticism is the reason why he wasn't playing in the NFL. 

 Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

After NFL commissioner Roger Goodell invited Kaepernick back to the NFL, Trump has also changed his tone. Trump was interviewed by ESPN's Field Yates who asked him whether he'd support Kaep's return.

"If he deserves it, he should. If he has the playing ability. He started off great and then he didn't end up very great in terms of a player. He was terrific in his rookie year. I think he was very good in his second year and then something happened, so his playing was up to snuff," he said. "The answer is I absolutely I would. As far as kneeling, I would love to see him get another shot but obviously, he has to be able to play well. If he can't play well, I think it would be very unfair."

Over the past few days, there have reports of several NFL teams interested in picking up Kaep. The Chargers has been the most vocal about their interest in having Kaep join the team. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said that Kaep will probably join the team's workout list of players who have the potential to be signed as free agents.

"He fits the style of quarterback that we want,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “We’re happy with the three quarterbacks that we have, but you can’t have enough on the runway.”

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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.