John Harbaugh’s Comments About Colin Kaepernick Are Going Viral After Jaxson Dart Injury
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
John Harbaugh finds himself connected to Colin Kaepernick’s name again, and the timing isn’t random. Jaxson Dart’s injury has the Giants searching for depth, and that search revived a conversation Harbaugh had years ago.
With Dart currently banged up, New York needs answers at quarterback, and Kaepernick’s name naturally entered the discussion. Harbaugh once praised the quarterback he faced when he won his first and only Super Bowl to date.
Giants Now Face Questions About Their Quarterback Depth Chart
Back in 2017, Harbaugh spoke glowingly about Kaepernick during a sit-down with Ian O’Connor of The Athletic. He reportedly wanted to bring the former second-round pick to Baltimore at the time.
“His talent, and also the fact I had inside information as to who he was from my brother,” Harbaugh said, via Pro Football Talk. “We talked a lot about him, and I’d met Kap many times, had numerous conversations with him because of that. We talked about it at length as an organization, and we liked the fit. . . . The bottom line is your quarterback has to make plays for you, and Colin Kaepernick proved he could do that.”
Harbaugh’s brother, Jim, actually coached Kaepernick in San Francisco from 2011 through 2014. The two reached a Super Bowl together during the 2012 season, where they ultimately lost to John Harbaugh’s Ravens.
Nearly a decade has passed since Harbaugh made those comments, though, and a reunion still seems unlikely. It’s hard to picture the Giants making a real push for a 38-year-old who hasn’t taken an NFL snap since 2016.
Kaepernick Insists He Remains Ready For Any NFL Opportunity
Kaepernick, who racked up 12,271 passing yards and 85 total touchdowns during his 49ers tenure, recently said he’s still preparing just in case a team calls.
“I still train five days a week. I’m up at 4:30 in the morning doing my training before I go about the rest of my day,” Kaepernick said. “I have to do everything that is in my control to make sure that I’m prepared.”
That commitment hasn’t translated into interest from any front office, though, and New York doesn’t figure to break that pattern. Harbaugh’s admiration for Kaepernick’s talent is real, but reality and roster needs rarely align this cleanly. For now, the Giants appear likely to lean on their current quarterback room or explore trade options around the league.
