Tom Brady praises Colin Kaepernick, calls upcoming workout ‘pretty cool'

The New England Patriots are one of 11 teams that will have a representative at Colin Kaepernick's workout Saturday.

Their starting quarterback is a fan of Kaepernick, who last played for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. In an interview Thursday night on Westwood One, host Jim Gray asked Brady if he thought a quarterback like Kaepernick could successfully return to the league after a three-year absence.

"I think being a pro quarterback is very challenging in and of itself," Brady told Gray. "To have time off is a challenge, but Colin's overcome a lot of challenges in his career, and he's always found a way to produce.

"He's very mentally tough, and I think it's pretty cool that he's getting that opportunity."

Brady has been supportive of Kaepernick in the past, admitting in 2017 he's always "admired" the ex-Niners QB after San Francisco beat the Patriots in Foxboro in 2012 and expressing his hope that another team sign Kaepernick.

That didn't happen, of course: Kaepernick went unclaimed in 2017 free agency after protesting racial inequality and social injustice in America by sitting and/or kneeling during the national anthem.

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The Patriots have been loosely speculated as a team that could sign the 32-year-old as Brady's backup. At the very least, it appears the 42-year-old respects Kaepernick -- wherever he ends up.

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