Colin Kaepernick hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2016. Because no franchise was willing to place a bet on the QB under center who was challenging the league while fighting for the rights by kneeling. Kap was blacklisted by the league and then he opted out of his Niners contract in 2017. But he’s never once acted like it’s over. Even back in October 2024, the former Niners QB made it clear: he wasn’t giving up. “You don’t just walk away,” he told CBS Mornings. “You chase that and you pursue it.”

That was nearly a decade after his last game, and yet the guy was still talking like he was in a Week 1 quarterback battle. And it wasn’t just talk. He’s stayed in shape, dropped workout videos, and even wrote letters to teams. In his words? “There will never be an instance where I’m not ready.” His last official shot came with the Raiders in 2022. Before that, the Seahawks gave him a look. He even held his own workout with scouts watching from the bleachers. Alas, the phone never rang.

The weird thing is the timeline of events that followed after his ban. Colin settled the lawsuit with the league in 2020, 4 years after he knelt during the “Star-Spangled Banner” pre-game. And the same year, the George Floyd incident happened, which caused nationwide uproar. But guess what? Kap’s fight against racism re-ignited during that time. As if he got a second shot at playing ball.

Roger Goodell, yes, Mr. Commissioner himself said these words: “I’m happy if Kap gets an opportunity, but that’s, you know… Teams don’t usually ask me for advice on football hires.” He also admitted that the league did its players wrong by not listening to their protests. Sure, he didn’t mention Kap, but we all knew what he meant at the time.

Now fast-forward to today, and if you were wondering whether he’s still putting in the work? His partner, Nessa Diab, just settled that debate in under five seconds. “All day, every day!” she told TMZ Sports. “Nothing has changed! Nothing!” She didn’t hesitate. No PR polish. Just raw truth. And from someone who sees Kap’s day-to-day grind up close, that says a lot more than any social media clip ever could.

According to Nessa, he’s still in the gym, still chasing that comeback, still treating this like unfinished business. No backup plans. No “maybe coaching” pivot. He passed on a potential coaching gig with the Chargers last year, even with Jim Harbaugh involved.

His last full season? A 1–10 record, sure—but he still threw 16 touchdowns and only 4 picks on a sinking 49ers ship. He also ran for nearly 500 yards. And that arm? It’s still there. Just ask the scouts who keep showing up to his workouts. Even if no one pulls the trigger.

He’s 37, yes. But so is Russ in the Big Blue (will hit 37 in November). Aaron Rodgers, at 41, is still trying to fit into the current market. Matthew Stafford is in the same boat. So, don’t think age could be that big of a problem for Kap. It’s a part of the problem, but before that comes a matter of real interest from a team.

Colin Kaepernick’s still in the NFL even though he’s not, per Skip Bayless

So, Trey Lance signs a one-year deal with the Chargers. A modest $2 million base, only $1.5M guaranteed. And if you’re thinking, “Wait, $6.2 million?” — yeah, that’s if he hits all the playtime incentives. Which, let’s be real, is a long shot with Justin Herbert ahead of him. But then comes Skip Bayless with a spiral straight from left field: Jim Harbaugh is thinking Colin Kaepernick.

Yep. According to Bayless, this wasn’t just a QB depth move. It was Harbaugh seeing a flash of his former dual-threat star in the Bay. “Now, I believe Jim Harbaugh is thinking Colin Kaepernick,” Skip said on his YouTube show, claiming Harbaugh clocked something during a preseason game last year. “Man, I could work with that,” he imagines Harbaugh thinking.

Skip even went full scouting report mode on Lance — 6’4″, 225, looks quicker in pads than his 4.69 Combine time, strong arm, big frame, still only 24. You get where he’s going. And to be fair, Harbaugh did bet big on Colin back in 2012. Benched a then 6-2-1 Alex Smith, threw the second-year Nevada kid into the fire, and nearly won a Super Bowl. The guy’s got a history of rolling the dice when he sees upside.

But here’s the snag. This isn’t 2012, and Justin Herbert isn’t Alex Smith. He’s the Chargers’ franchise QB, locked in. If Harbaugh even flinched at the idea of benching him for Lance, fans would riot in the SoFi parking lot. Bayless insists Harbaugh isn’t fully sold on Herbie, though, of course, there’s zero proof to back that up.

So, is this Skip being Skip? Probably. But the Kaepernick comparison does add a juicy wrinkle to the Chargers’ QB room. Harbaugh and Kaep had magic once. Lance? TBD. Just don’t expect Herbert to pull an Alex Smith arc — not unless the NFL scriptwriters are feeling really wild in the 2025 season.