Michael Vick took to Twitter to clarify comments made on Monday suggesting that Colin Kaepernick should get a haircut in order to secure a job with an NFL team.
“Colin Kaepernick’s hair has nothing to do with him not being on a [sic] NFL roster right now,” read the tweet. “Let’s be clear! I wish only the best for Colin. … I think he is a great kid who has a bright future and I’m looking forward to seeing him on the field again. Trust and believe what I said was not in malice.”
Vick was a guest on Fox Sports 1’s Speak For Yourself, when host Jason Whitlock drew on Vick’s experience rebuilding his image after being released from prison for his role in a dog fighting operation.
“[The] first thing we got to get Colin to do is cut his hair,” said Vick, referring to Kaepernick’s Afro. “I’m not up here trying to be politically correct, but, even if he puts cornrows in there, I don’t think he should represent himself in that way. … You’re already dealing with a lot, a lot of controversy surrounding this issue.
“And the most important thing he needs to do is, just try and be presentable.”
Kaepernick appeared to respond on Twitter, posting the definition of Stockholm Syndrome.
The 29-year-old refused to stand for the American national anthem last season, to protest police shootings of visible minorities.
He made 11 starts in 2016, throwing for 2,241 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions before opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers, whom he led to the Super Bowl in 2012.
His inability to find a new team has many wondering whether his determination to stand up (or sit down) for what he believes in has cost him in free agency. FiveThirtyEight called it “strange” that Kaepernick hadn’t been signed by the end of March, pointing out that only one quarterback under the age of 30 has gone unsigned after putting up as good a year (according to Yards Above Replacement) as Kaepernick had in 2016.
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