Colin Kaepernick may not be on an NFL team, but he’s back in the NFL as fans can play him in the video game Madden NFL 21. When fans play Kaepernick, who’s listed as a free agent, they will also see him do a unique touchdown celebration. Fans started to notice when Kaepernick scores a touchdown, he raises his first which is similar to the Black Power salute. This was something Kaepernick asked for since he had a “hands-on” approach to how his avatar was depicted in Madden, according to Aaron Dodson of The Undefeated.
“Colin Kaepernick is one of the top free agents in football and a starting-caliber quarterback. The team at EA SPORTS, along with millions of Madden NFL fans, want to see him back in our game,” EA Sports said a statement. “Knowing that our EA SPORTS experiences are platforms for players to create, we want to make Madden NFL a place that reflects Colin’s position and talent, rates him as a starting QB, and empowers our fans to express their hopes for the future of football. We’ve worked with Colin to make this possible, and we’re excited to bring it to all of you today.”
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When you score a touchdown with Colin Kaepernick in #Madden21 and choose “signature” celebration, Kap holds up the Black Power fist. pic.twitter.com/rclVIFjXze
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) September 8, 2020
Dodson said EA Sports approached Kaepernick this past summer to negotiate the rights to his likeness so that he could return for the first since 2016. When Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers after the 2016 season, he remained a free agent for four seasons which, led to him not appearing on the game. Along with the Black Power fist, Kaepernick also requested the player has an Afro. Fans who have Madden NFL 21 can put Kaepernick on any NFL team since he’s listed as a free agent. Also, Madden NFL 21 will be free to play for everyone from Thursday to Sunday to celebrate NFL kickoff weekend.
One of the big things when it comes to any Madden game is player ratings. For Madden NFL 21, Kaepernick has an 81 rating, which is the same rating as Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and higher than New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (78). Kaepernick’s rating is the same as what it was in Madden NFL 17, and his highest rating was 89 in Madden NFL 25 (also known as Madden NFL 14) and Madden NFL 15.
