general
Colin Kaepernick suggests the 49ers were tanking with Chip Kelly in 2016
Yahoo Sports NFLSource ↗
The former 49ers quarterback was not a fan of how the team was handled in 2016
Colin Kaepernick
QB · FA · 34 yrs · exp 11 · Nevada
Status
- Game status
- Inactive
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
general
John Harbaugh gets another chance to consider Colin Kaepernick
The article suggests John Harbaugh might have another opportunity to evaluate Colin Kaepernick
general
John Harbaugh gets another chance to consider Colin Kaepernick
When Colin Kaepernick was being ignored by the NFL teams, he didn’t have much to say. Now that he’s selling a book, interviews with Kaepernick are popping up everywhere. We haven’t paid much attention to his various sit-downs and sound bites because, frankly, it’s an old story. The NFL has long since moved on from Kaepernick, freezing him out long enough to make it unrealistic that the now-38-year-old quarterback would have a plausible path to a roster, a practice squad, or even a tryout. Still, one news item caught our eye in recent weeks. With Kaepernick’s book tour putting him back in the vicinity of the front burner, Giants coach John Harbaugh told Ian O’Connor of The Athletic that Harbaugh wanted to add Kaepernick to the Ravens in 2017 . Through it all, Kaepernick got one workout, five years ago with the Raiders. With the Giants now desperate for quarterback help (and with Jake Haener and Brandon Allen as the most viable options behind new starter Jameis Winston), why not bring Kaepernick in for a look? Kaepernick continues to say that he’s staying in shape, and that he wants to play. It should be immediately obvious whether he still has the abilities that made Harbaugh interested in him nine years ago. Harbaugh’s New York staff includes Greg Roman, who was the offensive coordinator during Kaepernick’s first four years in San Francisco. It would be easy, in theory, to configure the offense to fit Kaepernick. If Kaepernick still has the skills he had when he last played. It starts with a workout (and quite possibly ends with one). There’s no reason not to give it a whirl. The anthem controversy has subsided. (Harbaugh and the Giants surely would want assurances that Kaepernick wouldn’t dust it off, if he ended up on the sideline before games.) The threshold question is how does Kaepernick look? And there’s only one way to find out. The Giants, who now face not having Jaxson Dart for up to the rest of the season, have plenty of reasons to give Kaepernick a chance to show them what he can do. It would be different if John Harbaugh hadn’t recently spoken in such glowing terms about Kaepernick. With not many viable options available in free agency — and with Harbaugh having considerable power in New York — let’s see if Harbaugh puts his recent words into current action
general
in 2017, John Harbaugh wanted Colin Kaepernick in Baltimore
With former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick on the brink of releasing a new book, he's been talking a little more than usual as part of the promotion
QB · CIN
general
in 2017, John Harbaugh wanted Colin Kaepernick in Baltimore
With former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick on the brink of releasing a new book, he’s been talking a little more than usual as part of the promotion. That has prompted others to have a few things to say, too. One voice was somewhat unexpected. Giants coach John Harbaugh has spoken at length to Ian O’Connor of The Athletic regarding the Ravens’ interest in Kaepernick after he became a free agent in 2017. With Kaepernick’s former 49ers coach, Jim Harbaugh, coaching at Michigan — and believing that a team could win “ championships ” with Kaepernick, John Harbaugh was very intrigued. John Harbaugh also vividly remembered what happened in Super Bowl XLVII, when Baltimore barely held off a Kaepernick-led second-half comeback attempt. “In that Super Bowl, he was really a nightmare to defend ,” John Harbaugh told O’Connor. The biggest complication at the time related to Kaepernick’s weekly protests in 2016, which sparked a broader wave of players taking a stand by not standing during the national anthem. And a significant public backlash from a sizable chunk of NFL fans. “In all honesty, that wasn’t a factor,” John Harbaugh told O’Connor. “Yeah, there was conversation that there’s going to be a certain percentage of the fanbase that’s not going to appreciate this, but we decided that wasn’t going to be our driving factor.” For the Ravens, who still had Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco under contract, the attraction to Kaepernick was undeniable. “His talent, and also the fact I had inside information as to who he was from my brother,” John Harbaugh told O’Connor. “We talked a lot about him, and I’d met Kap many times, had numerous conversations with him because of that. We talked about it at length as an organization, and we liked the fit. . . . The bottom line is your quarterback has to make plays for you, and Colin Kaepernick proved he could do that.” The potential signing of Kaepernick became derailed for reasons that still remain fuzzy. His girlfriend, Nessa Diab, posted an image of franchise legend Ray Lewis and team owner Steve Bisciotti, after reports emerged that Bisciotti resisted the notion of embracing Kaepernick. After that, the visit never happened. Even if Kaepernick’s visit to Baltimore had happened, there would have been complications. Flacco was the starter. Kaepernick would have been the backup, with a contract reflecting his status. At the time, Kaepernick believed he should still be a starter; would he have accepted a secondary role? If Kaepernick and the Ravens had joined forces, the ensuing butterfly effect could have resulted in the Ravens not trading back into the bottom of round one to acquire two-time MVP Lamar Jackson in April 2018. On that topic, Harbaugh said “we probably would’ve still drafted Lamar for the opportunity to have two guys like that.” Still, no one knows what would have happened without knowing how Kaepernick would have performed. In 2017, the Ravens went 9-7 and missed the playoffs; Flacco was so-so. If Kaepernick had gotten a chance to play that year and if he had played well, who knows? He could have been the clear-cut No. 1 entering 2018, perhaps making them less inclined to draft Jackson
general
Colin Kaepernick won't support NFL, says league is 'actively blackballing me' and others who protested
Colin Kaepernick will not support the NFL due to the league's alleged blackballing of players who protested
general
ACLU honors Colin Kaepernick with Ralph Ellison Award
Colin Kaepernick continues to win off the football field. The ACLU announced on Friday, July 17 that Kaepernick has been selected for a new award recognizing profound contributions to American thought and culture: the ACLU Ralph Ellison Award for Defenders of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in the Arts, Business, Science, and Sports. The ALCU also announced musician Bruce Springsteen as a recipient in a press release . The biennial award recognizes lifetime achievements and contributions to civil rights and civil liberties. "Bruce Springsteen and Colin Kaepernick epitomize talent with a purpose. Bruce Springsteen’s iconic songs like 'Born in the U.S.A.' date back decades, and so does his advocacy on behalf of civil rights and liberties. Colin Kaepernick’s activism off the field has changed lives for a decade, long after the backlash he received for speaking out against racial injustice," ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero said in a statement. "We are proud of the partnerships the ACLU has formed with Bruce and Colin, and we’re honored to recognize their lifetime achievements with one of the ACLU’s highest honors." Kaepernick played in the NFL for six seasons. He helped guide the San Francisco 49ers to an NFC championship and a Super Bowl 47 appearance. But Kaepernick’s widely known for kneeling during the national anthem in 2016 as a form of protest against police brutality and racial injustices. His protest sparked a racial reckoning across the country. Kaepernick went unsigned following the 2016 season and hasn’t played in the NFL since. In 2019, Kaepernick reached a confidential settlement with the NFL to resolve his grievance accusing NFL owners of colluding to blackball him over his national anthem protests. Off the football field, Kaepernick founded the Know Your Rights Camp, an initiative that empowers youth through legal education and self-advocacy. He most recently helped fund an independent autopsy for Nolan Wells, a Mississippi teen who disappeared during a trip with friends to Horn Island before his body was recovered. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: ACLU honors Colin Kaepernick with Ralph Ellison Award
general
The Brandon Aiyuk saga has a new chapter—one involving a hat
This Brandon Aiyuk update has less to do with plans of the San Francisco 49ers holding onto him for as long as possible or a strange warrant for the wide receiver’s arrest. This nugget comes from where a lot of Brandon Aiyuk overreactions stem from: social media. Aiyuk posted a pair of selfies on his Instagram story wearing a Washington Commanders hat. Take a look, and we’ll continue: The second post has some text that NBC Sports Bay Area translated it to: “Stop the cap, the gig is up!” Aiyuk linked to the Commanders is nothing new. During his contract disputes in 2024 , it was speculated that the ideal outcome would be to reunite with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels . Daniels’ first year at Arizona State was also Aiyuk’s last before the latter went to the NFL. The last time we’ve had such controversial hat takes dates back to then-49ers starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick wearing a Miami Dolphins hat. Both Kaepernick and Aiyuk were under contract when their respective social media stories hit, and both received very different overreactions. Something more relevant is the Pittsburgh Steelers drama with Antonio Brown . 2019 was Antonio Brown watch, and the 49ers were a possible destination should the Steelers trade him. Brown made the decision easy with an (incomplete) 10-question AMA that some might still be trying to translate to this day, followed by a move to Instagram demanding everyone call him Mr. Big Chest. We’re quite a bit away from hitting Mr. Big Chest levels of obnoxiousness here. We could also overanalyze two Instagram stories with a different NFL Team’s hat on, but we’ve gone down this road before, and odds are we usually get it wrong. It’s been documented how difficult a Brandon Aiyuk trade could be, given his contract. The 49ers have no reason to release him until later this summer, once the league has installed their offenses with the players on their roster. That doesn’t mean we can’t overanalyze anyway. Do you take anything from this? Or is this another instance of Brandon Aiyuk going Brandon Aiyuk?
general
Alex Smith gives brutally honest answer about Brock Purdy
Since Brock Purdy was drafted with the 262nd pick of the NFL Draft by the 49ers in 2022, he has gone from Mr. Irrelevant to relevant . On Saturday morning, former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith was a guest on the Krueg Show, hosted by Larry Krueger. When Smith was asked about what makes Purdy stand out as a quarterback, he was quick to answer. “So prepared, and I think had such great perspective on the game, right? Like this is a guy that could already process and compartmentalize,” Smith said. “I think, naturally, he’s a super mature kid. Like anyone that has been around Brock, I’m blown away when I would talk to him for the first time I’m like ‘Are you 35 or 40?’ he just seems so much older, he has such great perspective on things.” Unlike Purdy, Smith was crowned as Mr. Relevant after he was selected first overall by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft. Smith played 14 years in the NFL, seven of them with the 49ers, including in 2011 when the 49ers went to the Super Bowl against the Baltimore Ravens . Smith shared snaps at quarterback that year with Colin Kaepernick and would eventually sit on the bench as Kaepernick would become the starting quarterback. Similar to Kaepernick, Purdy found himself as San Francisco ’s starting quarterback during his rookie year after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo went down with injuries. In his first season, Purdy led the 49ers to the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles . Purdy was unable to finish the game after exiting early due to an elbow injury, following a sack by defensive end Haason Reddick . California Post News : Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , X , YouTube , WhatsApp , LinkedIn California Post Sports Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube , X California Post Opinion California Post Newsletters : Sign up here! California Post App : Download here! Home delivery : Sign up here! Page Six Hollywood : Sign up here! In his second season, Purdy had a Pro Bowl season, throwing for 4,280 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl loss against the Kansas City Chiefs . “This is what I don’t think people realize: this guy pushes the ball downfield. When you look at the down the field from the quarterback as far as attempts, completions, accuracy, I mean this guy leads the league in the NFL every year in every one of those categories,” Smith said. “This is the guy that battles the game manager thing. Like he’s just a product of the system. It just couldn’t be further from the truth.” Purdy threw for over 3,000 yards the next year, but didn’t match his usual production last season, throwing for 2,167 yards and 20 touchdowns. But even in a down year, that was also filled with injuries in the 49ers locker room, Purdy led the team to a playoff victory over the Eagles and would eventually be eliminated by the Seahawks in the divisional round
You're caught up — end of feed.
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.