Jim Harbaugh reveals when Colin Kaepernick could make stunning NFL return – but it WON’T be with the Chargers this season
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has revealed that Colin Kaepernick’s potential return to the NFL will have to wait. Harbaugh, who coached Kaepernick from 2011 to 2014, offered him a path back to the league as a coach, not a player. However, even if Kaepernick accepts the proposal, he won’t be joining the Chargers until at least next year.
Harbaugh stated, “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.” Kaepernick has not played in the NFL for eight years, since he took a knee during the national anthem, sparking nationwide controversy.
Despite not playing since 2017, Kaepernick remains determined to rejoin the league. Harbaugh believes Kaepernick would make a good coach, citing the former quarterback’s football mind and football man qualities. However, some have claimed Kaepernick’s dream to play in the league again is unrealistic, with one NFL insider calling him “delusional.”
Kaepernick joined the 49ers shortly after Harbaugh became head coach, and together they took San Francisco to Super Bowl XLVII and the NFC championship game the following season. Harbaugh has supported Kaepernick during his apparent exile from the NFL, even arranging an open workout for the quarterback in 2022.
In 2019, Kaepernick settled a grievance with the NFL for an undisclosed amount after accusing owners of blackballing him in retaliation for the controversial protests. Although Kaepernick remains an NFL outcast, commissioner Roger Goodell admitted in June 2021 that the league should have listened to players’ concerns about racism sooner, adding that he encouraged teams to sign the former 49ers star.
Jim Harbaugh revealed Colin Kaepernick will not be on his Chargers staff this season
The quarterback has not played in the NFL since 2017, after taking the knee during the anthem
Kaepernick joined the 49ers shortly after the team appointed Harbaugh as head coach
