Colin Kaepernick has been away from the NFL for more than half a decade, not signing with any team since he left the San Francisco 49ers.

In a career marred by controversy due to protesting police brutality, there was never any doubt about whether he deserved a place in the league – it was more about which team was willing to sign him. This remains the case for over seven years now.

One would think that, after so much time, the quarterback would’ve given up on his dream of returning to the league. But Kaepernick has made it clear to CBS Sports that he still has hopes of playing again:

“It was 15 years of work and dedication before I ever stepped foot on an NFL field, and to have that passion and chase it for that long, you don’t just give that up, you don’t just walk away. You chase that. You pursue it. There will never be an instance where I’m not ready, and there will never be an instance where it’s because he doesn’t want to anymore”.

Why has Colin Kaepernick been away from the NFL for so long?

Colin Kaepernick took the league by storm in 2012 when he became the 49ers’ starter following Alex Smith’s concussion during a regular-season game.

With his rushing ability and strong arm, Jim Harbaugh decided that even when Smith was back fit, he was going to stick with the newcomer, leading the team to the NFC title that year and another NFC Championship appearance the following year.

His playing style was never the reason for him being out of a job since 2017. Kaepernick took a knee during the U.S. national anthem before every game during the ’16 season to protest police brutality in the country, especially against black people, and the backlash against him was extreme.

Donald Trump, then the U.S. president, went as far as to say that the NFL should fire anyone who took a knee during the anthem.

Even though his message has resounded in recent years after a series of racist episodes in America, he has remained unsigned since 2017.