Ex-49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh Addresses Potential Reunion With Colin Kaepernick

Getty Free agent QB Colin Kaepernick.

Colin Kaepernick’s best years with the San Francisco 49ers were the four seasons he played under head coach Jim Harbaugh, leading the team to a Super Bowl and NFC championship game. And the two have remained friends since their time together in San Francisco.

When Harbaugh returned to NFL in early 2024 to coach the Los Angeles Chargers, he discussed with Kaepernick a possible reunion, according to USA Today.

But it’s not going to happen this year.

“I love Colin, but he’s not going to be on the coaching staff, which is set for this year. And he’s not going to be playing on the roster either,” Harbaugh said on August 14, according to the Associated Press.

Colin Kaepernick as Coach?

It’s hard to believe that Kaepernick is just 36 years old, considering he hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2017. He was once considered a future star in the league, making the NFL’s Top 100 two years in a row (2013, 2014), but inconsistent play in his final two years in San Francisco combined with polarizing social protests landed Kaepernick outside the NFL looking in.

He has long insisted on his desire to return to the league, but his status as an unsigned free agent has not changed since his contract with the 49ers expired in March 2017.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Harbaugh bring Kaepernick in, as he’s already brought in former 49ers NaVorro Bowman, Jonathan Goodman and Will Tukuafu to join his staff. Greg Roman previously was the offensive coordinator for those Kaepernick-led teams and is now in the same role for the Chargers.

Harbaugh had high praise for Kaepernick when asked about his potential as a coach, noting how legendary Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis once saw similar traits in him.

“I have thought that for a long time. Just the respect that I have for the football mind he has and the football man that he is,” Harbaugh, who got his first NFL job as quarterbacks coach with Oakland in 2002, said, according to the AP. “Al Davis saw something in me that made him think I would be a good coach, and I see those same qualities in Colin. If it is something he chooses.”

Forever a “What If” Career

From the beginning, Kaepernick’s star burned bright. He earned a football scholarship to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he became the starting quarterback, becoming the first player in NCAA Division I history to achieve over 10,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards in a career.

Kaepernick was drafted by the 49ers in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He initially served as a backup quarterback but became the starter midway through the 2012 season following an injury to Alex Smith, going 5-2 as a starter. The 49ers reached the 2012 Super Bowl, marking the team’s first appearance in 18 years, although they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. Kaepernick was the full-time starter in 2013, when he led the team to a 12-4 record and the NFC Championship Game.

In 2016, Kaepernick gained attention when he knelt during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. His actions sparked widespread debate and inspired other athletes to join in similar protests. After his contract expired and he went unsigned, he filed a grievance against NFL owners accusing them of collusion. Some argued his inability to land a contract was because of the protests; others pointed to his 3-16 record over his last two seasons (1-10 in 2016).

Since then, Kaepernick has been an activist, making an impact off the field, although a return to playing the game he loves might not be that far off. Complex posted a graphic on Instagram noting that Kaepernick is interested in playing flag football in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.