Colin Kaepernick in Michigan gear.ANN ARBOR, MI – APRIL 02: Colin Kaepernick waits to walk onto the field for the coin toss prior to the Michigan spring football game at Michigan Stadium on April 2, 2022 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kaepernick was honorary captain for the game. (Photo by Jaime Crawford/Getty Images)
An NFL insider floated the possibility of Colin Kaepernick finally making his way back into the NFL after eight seasons, but not for what you may think.

In the 2012 season, 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick and coach Jim Harbaugh had one of the more magical runs in modern NFL playoff history.

 

NFL insider Mike Florio pondered whether Colin Kaepernick could join Harbaugh in Los Angeles after he signed on to be the head coach of the Chargers. However, he pondered if he would join the coaching staff, not as a player.

Florio pointed to the pair’s history with each other with the San Francisco 49ers and Kaepernick’s 2022 appearance during the Wolverines’ spring game.

Harbaugh also considered bringing Kaepernick onto his staff as the quarterbacks coach if he got the Minnesota Vikings head coaching job, according to Pro Football Talk in an April 2022 post.

 

Kaepernick recently endorsed his former coach before he decided to take the Chargers job.
“Harbaugh is the one coach you call when you want to compete for a championship. Period,” he told USA Today.
Harbaugh told The Athletic it was “absurd” Kaepernick did not have a job back in 2020.
“I love Colin, did then, do now, always will,” Harbaugh said. “I hope he gets a shot. I hope that he has a chance to play again and that he does play. Just my personal view on it.”

Harbaugh, who coached the San Francisco 49ers before heading to Ann Arbor, now owes Michigan a buyout for breaking his contract. His buyout to leave Michigan football is $1.5 million.

The terms of Harbaugh’s contract with the Chargers are unknown.