Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh has been doing some media during his downtime at Michigan, and on Wednesday he made an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. I've embedded some video down at the bottom of the page.
Naturally, Eisen asked about Colin Kaepernick, who is the subject of numerous trade rumors. The 49ers quarterback is under contract for 2016, but odds are pretty high (in my mind) that he is either released or traded at some point this offseason. Eisen asked Harbaugh about Kaepernick's attributes, and also the idea that Kaepernick seems lost at this point in his career.
It should surprise nobody that Harbaugh was fairly effusive in his praise. Here is what he had to say about his former quarterback:
On Kaepernick's attributes:
Well, whether the fact that I could get anything personally out of him, he's just a great player. I mean if you look at the three most important things for any player at any position, number one would be competitiveness. And there is a will to succeed and a will to win, nobody's got it like Colin Kaepernick does. I mean, to an ultimate level, at the highest level. And then athletic ability. Again, it doesn't get any better. And then awareness would be tied for second. He's so intelligent, he's so smart, he's so aware of everybody around him. And is able to use his talent. So it was more of a function of just how good he is."
On Kaepernick seeming lost at this point in his career:
"There's no "lost." He did go through some injury last year, that many a football player has experience. But he's got the grit, the mental toughness, the confidence, etc. to flourish, which I know he will."
Harbaugh has been a strong proponent of Kaepernick for quite some time now, and Kaepernick is extremely loyal to his former coach. We take Harbaugh's comments with a grain of salt because he can provide all sorts of praise. I do think he remains a Kaepernick fan, but it's hard to take most of his public comments all too seriously.
On that note, this is as good a spot as any to share Harbaugh's tweet from yesterday that is yet another amusing thought from the former 49ers head coach. It has nothing to do with anything, but I figure this works instead of a stand-alone post!
I urge President Obama to nominate to the Supreme Court the wise and competent, Judge Extraordinaire Judith Sheindlin.
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) March 10, 2016
Suggested to @CoachJim4UM that @Kaepernick7 career may be lost. His response @RichEisenShow here:https://t.co/QFPzeqS7r3
— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) March 10, 2016