Jim Harbaugh Makes Final Decision On Colin Kaepernick Joining The Los Angeles Chargers

Harbaugh’s comments came just a week after telling USA TODAY Sports that he wanted Kaepernick to join his coaching staff in Los Angeles.

Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick won’t be reuniting this year.

The Los Angeles Chargers head coach ruled out the possibility of his former quarterback joining the Bolts in a coaching — or playing — role for the 2024 NFL season.

“I love Colin, but he’s not going to be on the coaching staff, which is set for this year,” Harbaugh told reporters on Thursday. “And he’s not going to be playing on the roster either.”

Harbaugh’s comments came just a week after telling USA TODAY Sports that he wanted Kaepernick to join his coaching staff in Los Angeles. In the interview, which was published earlier this week, Harbaugh said he discussed the potential coaching role with Kaepernick shortly after being hired by Chargers in January.

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Harbaugh said Kaepernick was “considering” the offer, but added that the two hadn’t discussed the possibility since.

“If that was ever the path he was to take, I think that would be tremendous,” Harbaugh told USA TODAY Sports. “He’d be a tremendous coach, if that’s the path he chose.”

Harbaugh said on Thursday that it wasn’t the first time he has touched base with Kaepernick about coaching, and that he mentioned it a couple times when he was the coach at Michigan.

“I have thought that for a long time. Just the respect that I have for the football mind he has and the football man that he is,” said Harbaugh when asked what made him believe Kaepernick would make a good coach. “[Late Raiders owner] Al Davis saw something in me that made him think I would be a good coach, and I see those same qualities in Colin. If it is something he chooses.”

Kaepernick has long been pushing to return to the NFL, but as a player. His last appearance came with the San Francisco 49ers in the 2016 season after he began kneeling during the national anthem at games in protest of police brutality and racial injustice. Kaepernick, who met with the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 and worked out for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022, hasn’t been signed by a team since.

The 36-year-old reiterated his hopes of returning to the NFL to Sky Sports earlier this week, and he even showed interest in playing in the first-ever Olympic flag football competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Harbaugh and Kaepernick spent four seasons together in San Francisco from 2011-14. The two combined to lead the 49ers to the consecutive NFC Championship Games in the 2012 and 2013 campaigns. Harbaugh, Kaepernick and Co. lost to the Baltimore Ravens 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.