Harbaugh offered Kaepernick coaching job with Chargers

Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh offered former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick a coaching job within the team in January, he told USA Today’s Jarrett Bell last week. But Harbaugh told reporters Thursday that Kaepernick won’t be a part of the Chargers staff in 2024 as a coach or player.

“I love Colin, but he’s not going to be on the coaching staff I set for this year, and he’s not going to be playing on the roster either,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh said he spoke to Kaepernick after getting hired as the Chargers head coach about the possibility of Kaepernick joining the team in a coaching capacity, USA Today reported Wednesday. Harbaugh also said nothing has changed since that conversation and Kaepernick hasn’t reconnected with Harbaugh about the coaching opportunity, according to the report. He confirmed Thursday that the last time the two spoke was February.

Kaepernick, 36, told Sky Sports on Tuesday that he still has a desire to play in the NFL. He hasn’t played since the 2016 season when he began to protest racial inequality and police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.

“We’re still training, still pushing,” Kaepernick told Sky Sports. “We just need one of these team owners to open up.”

Kaepernick and former San Francisco 49ers teammate Eric Reid sued the NFL, accusing the league’s 32 teams of colluding to keep them out of the sport after kneeling 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 during the 2012 season. He threw a career-high 21 touchdown passes during the 2013 season.

Harbaugh and Kaepernick remained close since being on the same team. Harbaugh made Kaepernick an honorary captain during a Michigan spring game in March 2022. Harbaugh has been publicly supportive of Kaepernick’s fight for social justice.

Harbaugh hired several players from his time with the 49ers as coaches with the Chargers. This includes three-time Pro Bowler NaVorro Bowman as linebackers coach, former fullback/defensive lineman Will Tukuafu as assistant defensive line coach and Super Bowl XLIV champion Jonathan Goodwin as assistant offense/quarterbacks coach. Three-time Pro Bowler Delanie Walker and four-time Pro Bowler Mike Iupati are coaching interns for training camp.

Harbaugh is about to begin his first season as Chargers head coach seven months after leading Michigan to a national championship. He coached the Wolverines from 2015 to 2023 after parting ways with the 49ers following the 2014 season.

Harbaugh told The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami that he’s “right back at it” following the championship win and becoming an NFL coach again.

“Now you got to do it again,” Harbaugh said. “Any job you do, it’d be like digging a hole. That’s the only job I can think of where you start on top.”

Harbaugh said he’s “attacking” the opportunity with “enthusiasm” as he begins his coaching tenure with the Chargers. He said he “wants more” from his players as they try to improve on a 5-12 season in which they missed the playoffs.

“I am here. So this is where my feet are. And this is where all my focus is,” Harbaugh said.

In his first six NFL seasons, Kaepernick compiled a 28-30 record as a starter and passed for 12,271 yards and 72 touchdowns against 30 interceptions. He also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 scores during that stretch.

The Athletic’s Daniel Popper contributed to this story.

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