Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, is eager for another opportunity in the NFL at 36 years old. He is younger than New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers and shares the same age as Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins, and Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson.
However, Kaepernick has not played in the NFL for seven seasons. In a recent interview with Sky Sports at the Paris Olympics, he expressed his commitment to staying in shape for a potential comeback. “We’re still training, still pushing,” he remarked. “So hopefully we just gotta get one of these team owners to open up.” He believes he can contribute significantly to a team’s success.
Kaepernick may have another route back to the NFL, albeit one he might not currently prefer. Reports from USA Today indicate that Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh, Kaepernick’s former coach in San Francisco, is interested in bringing him onto his coaching staff. Harbaugh mentioned that they had a discussion about this possibility earlier in the year. “He’s considering it,” Harbaugh said, noting that he had not heard back from Kaepernick since that initial conversation.
Kaepernick led the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII after the 2012 season and made a subsequent appearance in the NFC Championship game. His protest against racial injustice during the 2016 season by kneeling during the national anthem led to his departure from the 49ers after he opted out of his contract. In 2017, he filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, which was settled in February 2019.
He has shown a consistent interest in returning to the field. In the previous season, he reached out to the Jets, offering to join their practice squad as a backup to Zach Wilson after Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury. The Jets declined his offer, leaving Kaepernick still searching for his next chance in the NFL.
“It’s something I’ve trained my whole life for,” Kaepernick said about returning to the field, calling it a significant milestone and achievement. He also expressed hope about potentially competing in flag football at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “Hopefully we’ll be out there,” Kaepernick stated. “We’d love to be out there.”