K.C. a good home for controversial Kap
Phil Simms thought Dan Reeves was calling him into his office to sign some footballs sitting on his desk. It was June of 1994 and Simms was coming off an excellent 11-5 playoff season. But he was also recovering from offseason surgery to his throwing shoulder and making $2.5 million and he was 38 years old and he and the Giants had differing opinions whether he would be ready for training camp.
He was getting ready to work out in the weight room at Giants Stadium when Reeves approached him in the locker room and asked him to stop by. One year earlier in Reeves’ first season as Giants coach, he had a choice of two Super Bowl QBs: He picked Simms and allowed Jeff Hostetler to leave as a free agent.
Simms knew just 30 seconds into a 45-minute conversation that Reeves was cutting him. He was one of the first major casualties of the salary cap era. The move was endorsed by GM George Young, strongly opposed by owner Wellington Mara, and it turned out to be a huge mistake. The Giants started a short-lived era of youngsters Dave Brown and Kent Graham at quarterback.
Twenty-three years later, it happened to Simms again this week when CBS became infatuated with Tony Romo and gave him Simms’ No. 1 job as its game analyst. Simms still has multiple years remaining on his contract and CBS may try to demote him to lesser games or just have him do “Inside the NFL” on CBS-owned Showtime or just settle his contract.
So, getting booted out of his starting job is nothing new to
The testimonials roll in each day from perplexed former coaches, teammates and opponents wondering why Colin Kaepernick is still unemployed. The debate has raged for weeks from those wondering whether the former 49ers signal caller is too polarizing for the NFL. Is he that much of a distraction? Some have cited his deficiencies as a pocket passer. Others believe his politics are a factor. His vegan diet has even been discussed.
The true reason, of course, is an amalgam of all of the above.
Kaepernick is neither dynamic nor dreadful. He is not good enough to be an NFL starter, but not ghastly enough to warrant being out of work.
Several teams could use him, but one makes perfect sense: the Kansas City Chiefs.
Although it’s possible, if not probable, that the Chiefs address their quarterback concerns in the upcoming draft, Kaepernick would be a quality option if the powers that be in Kansas City ultimately don’t select a signal caller with a premium draft pick.
Undrafted fifth-year quarterback Tyler Bray is the Chiefs’ backup at the moment. Say what you want about Kaepernick’s shortcomings as a QB (and there are plenty), but I simply won’t accept that Bray is a better option with more upside than Kaepernick. (Besides, who wouldn’t want to see a Kaepernick reunion with Alex Smith?) The Chiefs have the right head coach, too. Andy Reid has proven that he’s willing to take on a perceived risk/distraction. Reid’s Philadelphia Eagles signed 29-year-old Michael Vick eight years ago after the controversial quarterback was released from prison for his role in a despicable dog-fighting ring. Reid weathered the public backlash as Vick proved to be an asset on and off the field for Philly.
It’s time for him to bring in another 29-year-old quarterback, who deserves a chance.
Kaepernick, of course, hasn’t committed a crime, but it’s naïve to suggest that his national anthem protest and outspoken position on social and political issues haven’t contributed to his ongoing unemployment.
NFL owners, general managers and coaches live in an insulated world where employees who express strong views on topics other than football are deemed distractions.
Never mind that Kaepernick has transformed into a humanitarian. Forget about the genuine good that he has done after some early missteps (See: Castro T-shirt and pig socks).
Kaepernick might be radioactive to some teams, but it’s premature to suggest that he’s been blackballed by the NFL.
His lukewarm market is primarily a product of what he cannot do on a football field. His game has never evolved through the years. Kaepernick shows flashes on the run when plays break down, but many teams simply don’t believe that the reward outweighs the perceived risk/distraction.
The view through a purely football lens isn’t particularly pretty.
Kaepernick is 3-16 as a starter in the past two seasons. Although it’s fair to consider his less-than-stellar 49ers supporting cast, a closer look at the numbers reveals this truth: He is a shaky pocket passer. not particularly insightful and not entertaining.
But he’s a Cowboys quarterback and that means a lot to the network folks. Don Meredith was the original Monday Night Football star. Roger Staubach did games for CBS for awhile, and now Troy Aikman is the No. 1 analyst for Fox.
Romo was being courted by Fox to replace John Lynch on its No. 2 team. NBC wanted him also, but probably to be part of the studio show. There was no way they would put him in the booth with Al Michaels and Collinsworth. CBS won out by offering him Simms’ job. The players with leverage want to be around the game, not in the studio.
Romo for Simms proves the television business is just as screwy as the football business.
Simms had his detractors among fans if you pay attention to Twitter, but nobody prepared harder or had more knowledge about the game. He was dedicated to his job. He missed the high school and college football careers of his quarterback sons Chris and Matt because when they were playing on high school Friday nights in New Jersey he was watching practice and meeting with players and coaches of the home team playing in the Sunday game he was doing. And on Saturday he was meeting with the visiting teams and players.
If he was doing a game in New England, a few times he would sneak home for a game and go right back up to Foxborough. If he was doing a game at the Meadowlands, well, that was convenient. He rarely got to see Chris play at Texas or Matt play at Tennessee. He was compensated well and enjoyed his job. He had a good run.
If Romo turns out to be Brown or Graham, then CBS will have made the same mistake as the Giants.
There’s also merit in the point that his smaller frame from changing to a vegan diet could have an impact given that he absorbs an elevated number of hits as a scrambling quarterback.
Kaepernick’s declining skills are the primary reason for his unemployment. The NFL moves at warp speed. If you don’t adjust and evolve quickly you’ll become extinct, especially as a quarterback.
Kaepernick’s playoff heroics five years ago might as well have been 15. Robert Griffin III was the Rookie of the Year during Kaepernick’s run to the Super Bowl in 2012. RG3 is now looking for a job too after never growing as a quarterback.
Kaepernick’s last productive season was 2013. The 2013 Rookie of the Year? Eddie Lacy, who now bears a striking resemblance to Jabba the Hut.
There’s no doubt that Kaepernick is one of the league’s 64 best quarterbacks. He is good enough to be on a roster.
Now that Tony Romo has bolted for the broadcast booth, the rest of the free-agent quarterback dominos (Jay Cutler) should fall. The draft will fill some teams’ needs, but Kaepernick will get his opportunity.
Kansas City makes a whole lot of sense.