Colin Kaepernick’s attempts to return to the NFL as a player have faced obstacles for nearly ten years. However, there may be an opportunity for him to re-enter the league in a coaching capacity.
Jim Harbaugh, the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers who previously guided Kaepernick to a Super Bowl appearance with the San Francisco 49ers, expressed interest in having his former quarterback join his coaching staff. Harbaugh shared his thoughts with USA Today, stating, “If that was ever the path he was to take, I think that would be tremendous. He’d be a tremendous coach if that’s the path he chose.”
Kaepernick, known for his college success at the University of Nevada, has not played in the NFL since 2016, his sixth year in the league. During that season, he started 11 games, completing 59.2 percent of his passes for 2,241 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. He also rushed for 468 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry, scoring two touchdowns while maintaining a quarterback rating of 90.7, which ranked him 17th in the league.
Since his final season, Kaepernick has not received offers for an NFL quarterback position, largely due to his decision to kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality against minorities. Despite his ongoing desire to return to the NFL, the now 36-year-old has not secured a contract. The closest he came to playing again was a tryout with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
Harbaugh revealed that he reached out to Kaepernick about a non-playing role with the Chargers after he was hired in January, but progress has stalled. He noted, “Yeah, we talked a little bit about it. He’s considering it. He was out of the country. He said he was going to get back to me. We haven’t reconnected since then. That was early, early in the year.”
Harbaugh was the coach who drafted Kaepernick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Kaepernick became the starting quarterback in 2012 and led the team to the Super Bowl, where they were narrowly defeated by the Baltimore Ravens. He also led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game in 2013. After an 8-8 season in 2014, Harbaugh resigned to take the coaching position at Michigan, while Kaepernick’s career took a downturn.
“He’s one of my favorite players that I’ve ever coached,” Harbaugh stated. “Love Colin.”
In 2019, Kaepernick reached a settlement in his collusion case against the NFL, with details of the agreement remaining confidential. He recently told Sky Sports that he still harbors hopes of playing quarterback in the NFL. “We’re still training, still pushing. So, hopefully, we’ve just got to get one of these team owners to open up. It’s something I’ve trained my whole life for, so to be able to step back on the field would be a major moment, a major accomplishment for me. Also, I think it’s something I could bring a lot to a team and help them win a championship.”
Harbaugh further emphasized the NFL’s failure to embrace Kaepernick, stating that the league should be ashamed of his departure and should welcome him back. “I see him as a hero. Heroes get no days off. And he’s being a hero right now and he’s not getting any days off. It’s not for me to choose what path he takes. That’s his decision.”