Both Colin Kaepernick and Harbaugh have openly expressed their mutual admiration for each other, a sentiment echoed both publicly and privately.
On Wednesday, Jim Harbaugh made the significant decision to take on the role of head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers.
While this choice sparks concerns about the future of the franchise, it also brings up an intriguing discussion about his coaching staff.
Mike Florio, a prominent insider in the National Football League, raised the possibility of Colin Kaepernick joining Harbaugh’s coaching staff in Los Angeles.
Florio referenced their prior collaboration with the San Francisco 49ers, as well as Kaepernick’s appearance at the Wolverines’ spring game in 2022.
In April 2022, Pro Football Talk reported Harbaugh’s contemplation of appointing Kaepernick as the quarterback coach if he were to secure a head coaching position with the Minnesota Vikings.
In this scenario, the free-agent quarterback relinquished his aspirations of returning to the National Football League.
Colin Kaepernick recently expressed his support for his former coach prior to his decision to join the Chargers.
“If you’re looking to contend for a title, Jim Harbaugh is the coach to approach,” he told USA Today.
Harbaugh himself deemed Kaepernick’s absence from the NFL in 2020 as “absurd” in an interview with The Athletic.
Harbaugh conveyed his fondness for Colin by stating, “I love him, did then, do now, and always will.”
He added, “I genuinely hope he gets an opportunity, whether it’s to play again or otherwise. That’s just my take on the matter.”
While Kaepernick has indicated his readiness to play for an NFL team if desired, his interest in coaching in the league remains unclear.
Between 2011 and 2014, Kaepernick played under Harbaugh, with the duo achieving an NFC championship victory.
Despite coming close to winning Super Bowl XLVII against the Baltimore Ravens, the team fell short.
Kaepernick’s attempt to sign with the New York Jets in 2023 followed Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury.
Since the 2016 season, Kaepernick hasn’t played in any games, with his last appearance in the league against the Seattle Seahawks on January 1, 2017.
He finished that season with 2,241 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions in 11 starts, resulting in a 1-10 record for the 49ers.
Since then, Kaepernick has been actively engaged in social activism, advocating for police and jail abolition, and drawing parallels between the NFL Draft and slave auctions.
Despite resolving disputes with NFL owners, his two scout trials didn’t culminate in a contract.
In May, he expressed to National Public Radio that he hasn’t observed significant changes in the NFL’s efforts to address social inequality.