Colin Kaepernick Could’ve Joined the Vikings

Colin Kaepernick Could've Joined the Vikings
Colin Kaepernick

Remember Harbaugh Mania, a period of days two months ago when it felt like Jim Harbaugh was becoming the next head coach of the Minnesota Vikings? You should. Because of tweets like this:

The Vikings and Harbaugh could not reach a deal, even though the parties talked for hours on February 2nd. Instead, Minnesota hired Kevin O’Connell, the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl-winning Los Angeles Rams.

Now, Harbaugh is doing his damndest to land Colin Kaepernick a QB2 job in the NFL. The task is daunting as Kaepernick has not played professionally since 2016 — yes, six years ago.

In 2016, Kaepernick protested police brutality in the United States, putting a knee on the ground during the national anthem at the advisement of Green Beret Nate Boyer. Somehow, the conversation surrounding his demonstration morphed into an “anti-military” debate, although the quarterback never professed any disdain for American Armed Forces.

Kaepernick departed the 49ers after the 2016 season, and teams were passively skittish about signing a player deemed anti-military, so he never played again.

But now he wants back in the mix, seemingly renewing his candidacy for NFL employment each year. And this push is a bit stronger than years past, thanks to Harbaugh’s accommodation.

Colin Kaepernick and Jim Harbaugh

Kaepernick and Harbaugh teamed together in San Francisco for four seasons, posting the NFL’s fourth-best record during the timeframe. Harbaugh won 69.5% of all football games in those four seasons, reaching a Super Bowl and instantly legitimizing the 49ers’ reputation in the NFC.

Because of that track record, Vikings fans wanted Harbaugh — badly.

Plus, two months ago, the future of current Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was very much up in the air, owning an infamous “$45 million cap hit” for the 2022 season that was since mitigated via contractual extension.

Had Harbaugh been the guy in Minnesota, it is unclear if he would’ve wanted Cousins. He might’ve hedged the Cousins Experiment with Kaepernick as QB2. That part is revisionist spitballing.

Yet, Harbaugh is the man leading the charge to help Kaepernick return to the sport, and Harbaugh almost joined the Vikings, so a union of Kapernick in Minnesota could’ve been reality.

The next step is to watch whether Kaepernick, 34 years old, actually gets a QB2 nod in 2022.

The Vikings new general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, was employed by the 49ers during Kaepernick’s final three seasons in San Francisco. Adofo-Mensah was the Manager of Football Research & Development.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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