Stephen A. Smith has made his feelings clear on the possibility of Colin Kaepernick returning to the NFL.
A route back to the league has opened up for the former quarterback, although it’s not the one he really wants, with new Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh offering him a coaching job with the team.
“If that was ever the path he was to take, I think that would be tremendous,” Harbaugh said this week, per USA Today. “He’d be a tremendous coach, if that’s the path he chose.”
Smith discussed the surprising job offer on his podcast on Wednesday and, having been one of Kap’s most outspoken critics over the years, suggested he could be a good coach, though he reckons the former 49ers star’s time as an NFL player is done.
“If he wants to bring Colin Kaepernick there, cool. No problem. I think Colin Kaepernick would be a good coach. I think that Colin Kaepernick, if he wants the opportunity, should be the coach,” the ESPN host remarked (H/T Awful Announcing).
“What I would say however is I don’t want to hear [expletive] about him being a quarterback. That ship should have sailed. Not only has it sailed, it should have sailed. I know some people don’t want to say it, I will.”
Colin Kaepernick Still Wants To Win A Super Bowl As A Quarterback
Kaepernick is unlikely to heed Stephen A’s advice as he only recently expressed a desire to help a team win a Super Bowl as a player.
“We’ve just got to get one of these team owners to open up,” he told Sky Sports. “It’s something I’ve trained my whole life for, so to be able to step back on the field, I think that would be a major moment, a major accomplishment for me. I think I could bring a lot to a team and help them win a championship.”
Kaepernick hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016 and is unlikely to be offered another shot at QB in the NFL. Whether he takes Harbaugh up on his offer remains to be seen.