Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has his share of doubters and detractors out there. However, the coach who drafted him is not one of them.
Former 49ers head coach and current University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh doubled down on his belief that Colin Kaepernick will “win championships” before his career is over.
During an appearance Monday on the Rich Eisen Show, Harbaugh said, “I do believe that [he’s an NFL starter], yes. He’s still in his 20s and has been very successful at the NFL level as a starting quarterback. My record is well-documented that I think he will win championships before his career is finished.”
Harbaugh has indeed waxed optimistic on Kaepernick’s future before. Harbaugh said in March on PFT Live, “He’ll have a great career and be a great quarterback, win championships.”
Harbaugh went on to tell Eisen, “He’s the ultimate competitor, very talented, and gives tremendous effort. He’ll be the first one in the building, he’ll be the last to leave. And the one thing you can count on with Colin Kaepernick is, he tells the truth. I’ve never, ever heard him lie to me or anyone else.”
Of course, Colin Kaepernick didn’t begin his anthem protesting and public social justice advocacy until after Jim Harbaugh left the 9ers for Michigan. Meaning, it’s entirely possible that the Kaepernick that Harbaugh knew then is entirely different than the Kaepernick of today.
Regardless, prepare for more Harbaugh-Kaepernick stories. As long as Harbaugh keeps singing Kaepernick’s praises, the media will continue to seek out his opinion.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter: @themightygwinn