If any NFL team were to sign quarterback Colin Kaepernick to a contract, it appears commissioner Roger Goodell would welcome him back into the league with open arms. In fact, he told ESPN's Mike Greenberg during the network's "The Return of Sports" special that he supports and encourages teams to sign him to a deal.
The last time we saw Kaepernick on an NFL roster was during the 2016 season, where he also kneeled during the national anthem to protest racial inequality. Earlier this month, Goodell admitted in a video released by the NFL that the league was wrong for not listening to players earlier about the systematic oppression of black people. During his conversation with ESPN, not only was Goodell welcoming to the idea of Kaepernick signing with a team but he welcomed his contributions on social issues as well.
"Well, listen, if he wants to resume his career in the NFL, then obviously it's gonna take a team to make that decision," Goodell said, via ESPN.com. "But I welcome that, support a club making that decision, and encourage them to do that.
"If his efforts are not on the field but continuing to work in this space, we welcome him to that table and to help us, guide us, help us make better decisions about the kinds of things that need to be done in the communities. We have invited him in before, and we want to make sure that everybody's welcome at that table, and trying to help us deal with some very complex, difficult issues, that have been around for a long time.
"But I hope we're at a point now where everybody's committed to making long-term, sustainable change."
Kaepernick, 32, owns a 32-32 record (regular season and playoffs) as a starter and has completed 59.8 percent of his passes over the course of his career in the regular season. On top of his arm, Kaepernick has also previously shown the ability to make plays with his legs, rushing for 2,807 yards and 17 touchdowns over his six seasons in the league (playoffs and regular season).
As for which team might be interested in signing him, CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin has put together a list of the eight most logical clubs to sign Kaepernick, which includes the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.
