Nearly a decade has passed since Colin Kaepernick last played an NFL snap, but it hasn’t stopped him from chasing his dream of a comeback. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback continues to put in the work behind the scenes — at the gym, staying in game shape, and waiting for that one call that could put him back on the field.
Despite the league moving on and multiple teams passing on opportunities to bring him in for a closer look, Kaepernick’s longtime partner says he hasn’t given up. She recently shared that the 37-year-old is just as committed today as he was when he first left the game in 2016. Her message has (again) sparked conversation about whether an NFL return is even remotely possible for the former second-round quarterback.
Colin Kaepernick’s Girlfriend Says QB’s Grind Hasn’t Stopped: ‘All Day, Every Day!’
When TMZ Sports caught up with Nessa Diab in New York City, she didn’t hesitate when asked about Kaepernick’s status. “All day, every day! Nothing has changed! Nothing!” she said, confirming the former quarterback is still laser-focused on getting another shot in the NFL.
Kaepernick has remained active for years, holding private workouts and attending team-organized sessions when invited. His last official workout with an NFL team came in 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders, though they ultimately decided not to sign him. Before that, he was on the radar for the Seattle Seahawks and even held a public workout in Atlanta in 2019, where scouts showed up to watch him throw.
In January 2024, Kaepernick was offered a coaching role by the Los Angeles Chargers — a position that would have reunited him with former college and San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh. Kaepernick declined, signaling he wasn’t ready to transition from player to coaching. At that time, his focus remained on returning to the league as a quarterback, but CBS Sports analyst Jordan Dajani predicts that he will return to the NFL as a Chargers offensive assistant in 2025.
Revisiting Kaepernick’s NFL Career and Exit
Kaepernick was drafted by the 49ers with the No. 36 overall pick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.
It’s easy to forget how dynamic Kaepernick was during his peak. Throughout his six-year NFL career, he threw for 12,271 yards, 72 touchdowns, and 30 interceptions with a 59.8% completion percentage. He also rushed for 2,300 yards and 13 touchdowns.
During his final NFL season, he threw for 2,241 yards, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions while rushing for 468 yards and two touchdowns. His best season came in 2013 when he threw for 3,197 yards, 21 TDs, and eight INTs while rushing for 524 yards and four TDs.
In 2012, Kaepernick led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, where San Francisco was defeated by the Baltimore Ravens, 34-31. While playing on football’s biggest stage, he threw for 302 yards, one passing touchdown, and one rushing touchdown.
The following year, he led the 49ers to the NFC Championship Game, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seahawks, 23-17.
After the team hired head coach Kyle Shanahan, the 49ers let Kaepernick know that he was going to be released since he wasn’t a fit for the new offensive scheme. Kaepernick opted out of his contract and became a free agent, but no other team signed him.
Kaepernick’s on-field legacy was overshadowed by his activism, most notably his kneeling protest against police brutality and racial injustice in America that sparked league-wide debates and media firestorms.
He ended up filing a grievance against the NFL in October 2017, accusing the league’s owners of colluding to blackball him because he knelt during the national anthem. In Feb. 2019, he settled with the NFL and withdrew his grievance.
While Kaepernick hasn’t rejoined a team as a player, maybe he’ll get an opportunity to return to the sidelines as a coach in the near future.