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Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick clarified whether his former head coach Jim Harbaugh offered him a coaching gig with the Los Angeles Chargers earlier this year.
Kaepernick, who spent his first three NFL seasons playing under Harbaugh on the San Francisco 49ers, addressed his former coach's claims during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this week.
“It is not true,” Kaepernick said, claiming he learned about this situation on social media. “I found out the same way everyone else did — on social media. I was like, ‘Oh, I got a coaching offer.’ No, no coaching offer.”
In August, Harbaugh claimed that he offered Kaepernick a role on his coaching staff shortly after being hired by the Chargers in January.
“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 selected Kaepernick at No. 36 overall in the second-round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The former Nevada standout took over at quarterback for an injured Alex Smith during his second season and led the 49ers to a Super Bowl berth.
Harbaugh, who spent the past nine seasons coaching at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, which included winning a College Football Playoff National Championship in January, said he spoke with Kaepernick, 36, "a little bit" about the potential role.
“He’s considering it," Harbaugh said via USA TODAY Sports. "He was out of the country. He said he was going to get back to me. We haven’t reconnected since then. That was early, early in the year.”
Kaepernick previously told the London-based Sky Sports that he's still aiming at a potential NFL comeback, having not played since the 2016, at which point he ignited protests against police brutality and racial injustice during the national anthem by kneeling on the sideline. Harbaugh has shown support for his former quarterback over the years, which included setting up an open workout during the Michigan Wolverines' spring game while Kaepernick seemed to be exiled from the NFL.
“He’s one of my favorite players that I’ve ever coached,” Harbaugh said via USA TODAY Sports. “Love Colin.”