Jaguars owner open to signing Kaepernick
Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan says he would be open to signing free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Speaking to the team’s flagship radio station, Khan responded “absolutely” when asked Thursday whether he would support signing Kaepernick if the team’s front office wanted to do it.
Khan’s comments were not recorded, just relayed via Twitter.
According to 1010 XL, Khan said that while he would not have knelt during the national anthem to protest social injustice in the United States the way Kaepernick did, the billionaire businessman respects the quarterback’s right to express his beliefs.
Tom Coughlin, the team’s executive vice president, has final say on personnel decisions. Coughlin declined comment Friday through a team spokesman.
Kaepernick remains unsigned after opting out of his contract with the 49ers. Many of those who support him believe the NFL is punishing the player for refusing to stand during the anthem in an effort to protest police brutality against blacks. More than 1,000 people crowded the steps of the NFL’s midtown Manhattan offices Wednesday to demand Kaepernick be signed before the start of the season.
Kaepernick has 72 touchdown passes, 30 interceptions and 13 rushing scores in six seasons, better numbers than Jaguars quarterbacks Blake Bortles and Chad Henne.
Friday’s games: New England wide receiver Julian Edelman limped off the field with an injured right knee, putting a damper on a strong performance from Tom Brady and the Patriots, who beat the host Detroit Lions 30-28 in a preseason game.
Edelman was hurt on the opening possession, which ended with Brady throwing the first of his two touchdown passes to Chris Hogan. Brady was 12-of-15 for 174 yards. The Lions’ Matthew Stafford also threw two TD passes and finished 15-of-22 for 190 yards.
Kansas City running back Spencer Ware injured his right knee in the Chiefs’ 26-13 preseason loss to the Seahawks in Seattle. Ware’s injury was part of a lackluster effort form Kansas City’s offense. Starting quarterback Alex Smith was 7-of-17 for 44 yards, although there were a handful of drops.
The Chiefs had just 102 total yards in the first half against Seattle’s starters, and Kansas City’s only touchdown came on a 95-yard kickoff return from De’Anthony Thomas.
Quarterback Russell Wilson was stellar for the Seahawks, throwing for 200 yards and a touchdown.
Beathard a Hall finalist: Longtime general manager and personnel administrator Bobby Beathard is a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the contributors category.
Beathard helped build strong teams in Kansas City (1966-67), Miami (1972-77), Washington (1978-88) and San Diego (199099). He also worked for the Atlanta Falcons (1968-71).
His teams won 10 division titles, seven league or conference championships and four Super Bowls (two with the Dolphins, two with Washington).