Jim Harbaugh offered Colin Kaepernick the Chargers coaching job, but the QB won’t be with the team in 2024
Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh offered former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick a coaching job with the team in January, he told USA Today’s Jarrett Bell last week. But Harbaugh told reporters Thursday that Kaepernick will not be on the Chargers’ staff in 2024 as a coach or player.
“I like Colin, but he’s not going to be on the coaching staff that I’ve chosen for this year, and he’s not going to play on the roster,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh said he spoke to Kaepernick after he was hired as the Chargers’ head coach about the possibility of Kaepernick joining the team as a coach, USA Today reported Wednesday. Harbaugh also said nothing has changed since that conversation and that Kaepernick has not reconnected with Harbaugh about the coaching opportunity, according to the report. He confirmed Thursday that the last time the two spoke was in February.
Kaepernick, 36, told Sky Sports on Tuesday that he still wants to play in the NFL. He hasn’t played since the 2016 season, when he began protesting racial inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.
“We’re still training, we’re still working hard,” Kaepernick told Sky Sports. “We just need one of these team owners to open up.”
Kaepernick and his former San Francisco 49ers teammate Eric Reid filed a lawsuit against the NFL, accusing the league’s 32 teams of conspiring to ban them from the sport after they kneeled during the anthems. They reached a legal settlement with the league in 2019.
Harbaugh coached Kaepernick from 2011 to 2014 when he played for the 49ers. Kaepernick led the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance in the 2012 season. He threw a career-high 21 touchdown passes in the 2013 season.
Harbaugh and Kaepernick have remained close since their days on the same team. Harbaugh made Kaepernick an honorary captain at a Michigan spring game in March 2022. Harbaugh has publicly supported Kaepernick’s fight for social justice.
Harbaugh has hired several players from his 49ers days as coaches for the Chargers. Among them are three-time Pro Bowler NaVorro Bowman as linebackers coach, former fullback/defensive end Will Tukuafu as assistant defensive line coach and Super Bowl XLIV champion Jonathan Goodwin as assistant offensive and quarterbacks coach. Three-time Pro Bowler Delanie Walker and four-time Pro Bowler Mike Iupati are coaching interns for training camp.
Harbaugh is set to begin his first season as the Chargers’ head coach, seven months after leading Michigan to the national championship. He coached the Wolverines from 2015-23 after parting ways with the 49ers following the 2014 season.
Harbaugh said The AthleticTim Kawakami said he’s “back” after winning the championship and becoming an NFL coach again.
“Now you have to start over,” Harbaugh said. “No matter what job you do, it would be like digging a hole. This is the only job that I think allows you to start at the top.”
Harbaugh said he’s “enthusiastic” about the opportunity as he begins his coaching tenure with the Chargers. He added that he “wants more” from his players as they try to improve after a 5-12 season that saw them miss the playoffs.
“I’m here. This is where my feet are. And this is where all my attention is,” Harbaugh said.
In his first six NFL seasons, Kaepernick went 28-30 as a starter and threw for 12,271 yards and 72 touchdowns against 30 interceptions. He also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns during that span.
Daniel Popper of The Athletic contributed to this article.
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