Colin Kaepernick is willing to work from the bottom up as long as he’s given an opportunity to make his NFL return. As mentioned in his interview with the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast, the athlete is just looking to get his foot in the door.

“I know I have to find my way back in. Yeah, if I have to come in as a backup, that’s fine,” said Kaepernick. “But that’s not where I’m staying. And when I prove that I’m a starter, I want to be able to step on the field as such. I just need that opportunity to walk through the door.”

Kaepernick joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 after he was selected as a second-round draft pick. He led the team to the Super Bowl the following year and played with them for six seasons before opting out of his contract in 2017. The former NFL star has since been a free agent, which many believe is a result of his social justice protests. Despite not being recruited or invited to team workouts, his passion for the sport and his desire to win a championship remain.

“You had those dreams from when you were a kid. ‘I’m [gonna] be an NFL player, and I’m going to win a Super Bowl.’ And for me, I have unfinished business on that front,” he said. “I have been to the Super Bowl. We were one play away. Well, I need to finish that.”

“My mentality isn’t just to go out and compete,” he continued. “No, I want to win a championship. And I know that it may take different paths to get there, but I wholeheartedly believe I’m going to make that happen.”

Kaepernick, who was spotted working out with a slew of NFL stars in the past months, ultimately wants an opportunity to broadcast his skills to general managers in the league.

“Come in and let me compete,” he pleaded. “The NFL is supposed to be a meritocracy … If I’m not good enough, get rid of me. But let me come in and show you.”

Listen to Kaepernick’s interview with the “I AM ATHLETE” podcast below.