Jim Harbaugh names Colin Kaepernick honorary captain for Michigan spring game
Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick was announced as the honorary Maize and Blue Spring Game captain in an official Michigan football tweet Wednesday night.
Via @UMichFootball: “Football Family. Excited to share the field with our honorary captain for Saturday’s Maize and Blue Spring Game, @Kaepernick7 #GoBlue 〽”
Kaepernick, a second-round draft pick and six-season San Francisco 49ers veteran, took pictures alongside both head coach Jim Harbaugh and senior quarterback Cade McNamara in the program’s announcement, while also seen addressing the team with all smiles.
Despite never donning the Maize and Blue, the Nevada star was drafted in 2011 and played under Harbaugh through 2014, including a 2012 Super Bowl appearance, and was now gifted his own custom No. 7 Michigan jersey a decade removed from his highest professional moment.
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Kaepernick threw for 12,271 yards and 72 touchdowns in 69 games with the 49ers but hasn’t hasn’t thrown a pass in the NFL for six years after starting a national controversy due to anthem protests prior to games, a topic that still serves as a catalyst for debates worldwide.
However, stories continue to surface about a rumored return for the 34-year-old Milwaukee native going into the 2022 NFL season. Kaepernick has also expressed his interest in making a return to the league. For now, Kaepernick will focus on doing his part at the Michigan spring game.
The U-M spring game is set for an 11 p.m. CT start at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, April 2.
Michigan finished the 2021 season with a 12-2 record, defeating rival Ohio State for the first time in a decade and capturing its first Big Ten title game win under Harbaugh. Michigan advanced to the College Football Playoff, where it ultimately fell to Georgia.
Michigan is projected to contend for another Big Ten championship this season.
