The new XFL football league is now confirming that league officials worked to sign notorious anthem protester Colin Kaepernick. This, despite claiming that there would be no kneeling during the national anthem at its games. An XFL spokesman confirmed to Sporting News that the league reached out to Kaepernick last year in an effort to sign him. The news may not come as a huge shock as XFL chief Vince McMahon had already opened the door to Kaepernick during his early press conferences about his plans for the resurgent XFL. “Anyone who plays the game of football well and meets our criteria in terms of quality of human being, why not?” McMahon told reporters last January when asked about including Kaepernick. “As long as everyone abides by the rules as laid down.” But even in January, McMahon warned that there would 100 percent be no protesting during the national anthem in his league. Somehow it seems unlikely that the one man who is famous more for his protesting than for his playing would agree not to protest if signed by the XFL. Still, according to Sporting News, Kaepernick did discuss joining the XFL. But, like his wild contract request to the AAF, it appears that Kaepernick was demanding a $20 million per season payout. By some accounts, McMahon is will to pay between $45,000 and $200,000 a year for his players, so at $20 million, there is quite a gap between what McMahon is offering and what Kaepernick is demanding. Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.<doc-sep>Colin Kaepernick has not appeared in an NFL game, or any sort of organized football event, since 2016. There’s a possibility that could soon change, though. The XFL has reportedly had conversations with the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback about joining their league this past fall, per Sporting News. There was a recent report from the Associated Press that Kaepernick was asking for a $20 million contract to join the league helmed by Vince McMahon, and this report from the Sporting News confirms that figure. The XFL’s first season since its disastrous debut in 2001 is set to kick off in February of 2020, with a league comprised of eight teams. The league will begin signing players in “the first quarter” of 2019, per the XFL’s website, which presumably means it will be happening very soon. Kaepernick had also reportedly shown interest in the newly formed Alliance of American Football, which has already begun playing games. It remains to be seen where Kaepernick’s interest stands with the XFL as it prepares to sign its first batch of players, and how the league reacted to his reported contract request. The quarterback, who just settled his collusion lawsuit with the NFL, has been mostly mum publicly about his desire to play, and there is, of course, the issue of the XFL having a rule requiring players to stand for the national anthem.<doc-sep>Development of new football leagues may provide an opportunity for Colin Kaepernick to get back on the field. The previously-failed XFL will attempt a comeback that’s due to kick off in January or February of next year. Michael McCarthy of the Sporting News reported the XFL contacted Kaepernick in the fall about joining their league. Kaepernick hasn’t played football since he opted out of his contract after the 2016 season. A market never surfaced for the quarterback after he protested police violence and racial injustice during the national anthem throughout the 2016 campaign. The quarterback, along with Panthers safety Eric Reid who also kneeled with Kaepernick, sued the league for colluding to keep them out of the NFL. That lawsuit was settled privately in early February. The terms of the settlement were undisclosed. It’s hard to imagine the XFL landing a player more talented than the former 49ers’ signal caller. He posted a career 88.9 passer rating in 58 starts. His 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions are good for the fourth-best touchdown-to-interception ratio in league history. His interception rate of 1.8 percent is tied with Tom Brady for the second best mark ever. Related Ravens to release former 49ers WR Michael Crabtree Kaepernick’s play certainly declined as he battled through injuries and adjusted to defenses game-planning for his diverse skill set. His numbers dipped across the board from 2014 to 2015, and consistency issues plagued him once he returned from multiple offseason surgeries in 2016. However, he’s still an NFL-caliber quarterback, which is likely more than any other signal caller in the XFL would be able to say. It’ll be interesting to see what the 31-year-old opts to do with his football career. He hasn’t taken a snap in over two years, and it appears his NFL career is over. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he decides to forego football to focus on his philanthropic work in the community. On the other hand, if he does truly want to suit up again, it may have to come in a newly-developed, minor league like the XFL.<doc-sep>This sounds familiar. Colin Kaepernick was in talks with a second-rate football league to play quarterback until his demand of $20 million stalled discussions. Sporting News reported Monday that Kaepernick talked with the XFL last fall about joining the Vince McMahon-run league set to debut in February 2020. The report comes weeks after news broke that talks broke down between Kaepernick and the AAF over a similar $20 million demand. Kaepernick reportedly turned down another offer Monday’s report cites an XFL source, with Kaepernick’s attorney Mark Geragos not returning a request for comment. While it’s not surprising that Kaepernick would maintain a firm line on his value with both the XFL and AAF, it is a bit of a surprise that the XFL would even consider Kaepernick. Colin Kaepernick reportedly wanted $20 million to play for a league that has promised to avoid politics and controversy. (Getty) The previous incarnation of the XFL was billed as an irreverent alternative to the NFL during its only season in 2001. XFL promised to avoid politics The new version promises to be staid and conservative behind a Donald Trump-supporting McMahon, who vowed upon the league’s announcement to avoid politics and controversy, especially when it comes to social injustice and racial inequity protests during the national anthem. "Let me say as far as our league is concerned it will have nothing to do with politics, and nothing to do with social issues either,” McMahon said in 2018. “We're there to play football. We want really good football, and that's what the fans want too. "When they tune in I don't know if they want to be dealing with social issues and things of that nature. And that's what we're going to deliver." With Vince McMahon promising "nothing to do with politics," the XFL's reported interest in Colin Kaepernick comes as a surprise. (Getty) McMahon also hinted at a rule enforcing that players stand for the anthem. “As far as the national anthem is concerned, I think this: the national anthem is a time-honored tradition that is played to this day and many years in the past in our country,” McMahon said. “Whatever our rules are are what our players will abide by." Why would XFL want Kaepernick? None of that jibes with signing Kaepernick, the face of social injustice protests in the NFL. Kaepernick recently settled a collusion grievance with the league after not playing the last two seasons despite being a capable NFL starting quarterback in a league struggling to find signal-callers. Story continues Joining sides with a league whose founder has parroted Trump’s position that players not be allowed to kneel doesn’t add up. Of course if Kaepernick asked for $20 million to consider playing for the league, he was likely fully aware that the salary demand was a non-starter. The XFL is looking to pay quarterbacks around $250,000 per season, according to Sporting News. More from Yahoo Sports:<doc-sep>
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has reportedly had conversations with XFL executives about joining the rebooted league when it launches in 2020. An XFL official confirmed the conversations to the Sporting News on Monday, but didn’t give any details about what type of offer could lure Kaepernick to the league. XFL NOT LIMITING ITSELF TO NFL'S DRAFT ELIGIBILITY RULES AS YOUNG STARS RISE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL The report comes on the heels of Kaepernick reportedly seeking a $20 million contract to play in the Alliance of American Football. Sources told the Sporting News he was seeking the same amount of money to play in Vince McMahon’s football league as well. The XFL is seen as a direct competitor to the AAF, so it would make some sense for the league to make a splash with a signing like Kaepernick. Though McMahon has said politics would not be injected into the league and that each player has to stand for the national anthem, ESPN reported in March 2017 that Kaepernick would stand for the anthem if given a chance to play in the NFL. Kaepernick later downplayed that report in a tweet, and it's not clear if he'd stand for a non-NFL entity. Kaepernick's lawyer Mark Geragos has previously hinted the New England Patriots or Oakland Raiders would be interested in signing him. But there has been no confirmed interest in him. The XFL hasn’t announced any big names to join the league, despite rumors it would allow a young college football star like Trevor Lawrence to play and undercut the NFL’s draft entry policy. GET THE FOX NEWS APP So far, the XFL has announced that Bob Stoops, Pep Hamilton and Jim Zorn will all be coaches for this go-round.