Colin Kaepernick has not taken an NFL snap since 2016, but the former quarterback is still being floated as an option for teams. The Denver Broncos suddenly find themselves in the market for a potential quarterback move weeks before the Super Bowl.
Denver’s star quarterback Bo Nix has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury. It is Jarrett Stidham time in Denver, but CBS Sports’ John Breech floated six “wild QB options” the Broncos could also explore. Here’s the case the analyst makes for Kaepernick with the Broncos.
“The only reason Kaepernick is on this list is because he’s the one of the rare older guys who actually wants to return,” Breech wrote in a January 18, 2026, story titled, “Six wild QB options for Broncos after shocking Bo Nix injury: Tom Brady can’t play, but two other MVPs could.” “As recently as August 2024, Kaepernick said he was staying in shape in hopes of getting a call from an NFL team.
“… One thing Kaepernick would bring to the table is big game experience. During his six-year career with the 49ers, he led them to two NFC title games and one Super Bowl. Kaepernick currently holds the NFL record for most rushing yards by a QB in a playoff game with 181. At 38, he’s likely lost a step or two, but desperate times call for desperate measures.”
Here’s a look at the latest Broncos news.
Colin Kaepernick on NFL Comeback in 2024: ‘Still Training, Still Pushing’
Kaepernick is unlikely a realistic option for Denver given we are approaching an entire decade since the quarterback last attempted a pass. Back in 2024, Kaepernick indicated he was still training for a return to the NFL.
“We’re still training, still pushing,” Kaepernick told Sky Sports in August 2024, per CBS Sports. “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, I think that would be a major moment, a major accomplishment for me,” Kaepernick added.
“Also, I think it’s something that I could bring a lot to a team and help them win a championship.”
Broncos WR Courtland Sutton on QB Jarrett Stidham vs. Patriots: ‘Jarrett Is Gonna Be Ready to Go Play’
It appears the Broncos already made their quarterback move by signing veteran Ben DiNucci. Denver plans to turn over the offense to Stidham in the AFC Championship.
Sam Ehlinger is expected to serve as the Broncos backup quarterback with Nix out. DiNucci is more of an emergency option for Denver as insurance for the AFC Championship. Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton expressed confidence in Stidham ahead of the team’s elimination game against the Patriots.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Jarrett is gonna be ready to go play,” Sutton noted on January 21, per NFL.com. “If there’s a guy that prepares as well as Bo [Nix], it’s him.
“He goes in and knows the entire playbook. He knows everything that needs to be done for us to go out there and have success.”
Colin Kaepernick Floated as ‘Wild’ Move for NFL Contender Weeks Before Super Bowl