Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick advised Miriam Walker-Khan of Sky Sports just lately that he was nonetheless hoping to return to play within the NFL sometime.
Whereas his dream of showing beneath heart greater than seven-and-a-half years since his final NFL snap seems unrealistic, there could also be a approach for the 36-year-old to make a comeback in some capability.
In an interview with USA At this time’s Jarrett Bell, Los Angeles Chargers first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned that he want to have Kaepernick on the crew. Harbaugh envisions having the Milwaukee native on the sideline with a headset fairly than a helmet, nonetheless.
“If that was ever the trail he was to take, I feel that might be great,” Harbaugh mentioned, per Bell. “He’d be an amazing coach, if that’s the trail he selected.”
Kaepernick advised Walker-Khan that he was “nonetheless coaching” and if he had been to make it again to the NFL, it will be a “main second” and a “main accomplishment” for him. He added that he nonetheless believed he may “carry quite a bit to a crew and assist them win a championship.”
It has been effectively over half a decade now since Kaepernick stepped foot on an NFL subject.
He spent his whole six-year profession with the Niners from 2011-16, together with the primary 4 seasons enjoying beneath Harbaugh. Kaepernick and Harbaugh led San Francisco to an look in Tremendous Bowl XLVII the place they misplaced to the Baltimore Ravens and an NFC Championship Recreation berth the next season.
The cellular risk performed 75 video games in his profession together with his final contest coming in Week 17 of the 2016 marketing campaign when his Niners misplaced to the Seattle Seahawks 25-23 on New Yr’s Day 2017.
He sparked controversy throughout the 2016 marketing campaign together with his on-field political statements in kneeling throughout the pregame nationwide anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. Kaepernick then went unsigned by way of the summer time getting into the 2017 season amid allegations that he was being blackballed.
The College of Nevada product filed a grievance in opposition to the league throughout the fall of 2017, accusing league homeowners of colluding to maintain him out of the NFL, however later withdrew the grievance in February 2019 after reaching a confidential settlement with the league.
Harbaugh advised Bell that quickly after changing into the Chargers head coach in January, he talked with Kaepernick about becoming a member of the crew in a non-playing position.
“Yeah, we talked a bit of bit about it,” Harbaugh mentioned. “He’s contemplating it. He was in another country. He mentioned he was going to get again to me. We haven’t reconnected since then. That was early, early within the yr.”
With their lengthy historical past, the previous Michigan head coach clearly nonetheless has shut ties to the previous signal-caller-turned civil rights activist.
Harbaugh advised Bell that Kaepernick is “one among (his) favourite gamers (he is) ever coached” and noticed the previous second-round decide as a “hero.”
As for ever seeing Kaepernick taking snaps on the gridiron once more, it nonetheless looks as if the chance has handed.
