Colin Kaepernick is not giving up on his NFL return aspirations. The former San Francisco 49ers star quarterback recently admitted that he is trying to make an NFL comeback attempt yet again despite other failed attempts. Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is seemingly open to the idea, but with a major catch.
Harbaugh revealed that he has discussed a potential non-player position with Kaepernick. There are no guarantees it will happen, but Harbaugh believes the former quarterback would be a “tremendous coach.”
“If that was ever the path he was to take, I think that would be tremendous,” Harbaugh said, via Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports. “He’d be a tremendous coach, if that’s the path he chose.”
Harbaugh envisions Kaepernick returning as a coach. Kaepernick wants to return as a player, but perhaps he will be open to joining Harbaugh's coaching staff in LA.
Kaepernick played for the 49ers when Harbaugh was the team's coach. The two seemingly have a good relationship, with Kaepernick even previously sharing support for Harbaugh.
It has yet to be revealed if Kaepernick would be open to the possibility of coaching. At 36 years old, he believes he still has more to offer as a player. But Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since 2016.
Colin Kaepernick's NFL return?
There was a time when Kaepernick was regarded as one of the better quarterbacks in the league. He started to struggle as his career continued, though.
Still, Kaepernick likely could have landed a role somewhere in the NFL, even if it was as a backup. His decision to kneel for the National Anthem became a primary talking point, however. He received both strong criticism and strong support for the decision, but NFL teams were seemingly hesitant to sign the QB.
Kaepernick has not given up, though. He wants an opportunity to play in the league once again.
“We're still training, still pushing,” Kaepernick said recently of his desire to return to the league, via Sky Sports NFL. “We just got to get one of these team owners to open up… It's something (playing in the NFL) I trained my whole life for. To be able to step back on the field, I think that would be a major moment, a major accomplishment for me. I think I could bring a lot to a team and help them win a championship.”
If he remains unsigned, however, his best chance of returning to the NFL may be as a coach. Kaepernick's previous NFL success would make him a potential quality coach as well. He understood what it took play at a high level in the league, and he could certainly help quarterbacks improve at their craft.
Any return to the NFL, whether it comes as a player or a coach, would be a “major moment” as Kaepernick said. It would be controversial, as fans would be split on the move. There are plenty of fans who fully support Kaepernick and his past actions, but there are critics as well.
Nevertheless, Colin Kaepernick isn't giving up.