Jim Harbaugh offered Colin Kaepernick a coaching job with Chargers, but QB won’t be employed 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 part of the Chargers staff as a coach or player in 2024.

“I love Colin, but he will not be part of the coaching staff I have in place this year, nor will he be on the roster,” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh said he spoke with Kaepernick after he was hired as head coach of the Chargers 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 contacted Harbaugh again about the coaching opportunity, the report said. He confirmed Thursday that the last time the two spoke was in February.

Kaepernick, 36, Sky Sports said this on Tuesday that he still has a desire 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 and we’re 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 conspiring to keep them out of the sport after they knelt during the national 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 have remained close since they were on the same team. Harbaugh named Kaepernick an honorary captain during a spring game in Michigan in March 2022. Harbaugh publicly supported 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 coach trainees 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 after the 2014 season.

Harbaugh said The AthleticsTim Kawakami says he’s “back at it” after the championship win and becoming an NFL coach again.

“Now you have to do it again,” Harbaugh said. ‘Every job you do, it’s like digging a hole. That’s the only job I can think of where you start at the top.”

Harbaugh said he is “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 after a 5-12 season in which they missed the playoffs.

“I’m 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, passing 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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