Colin Kaepernick: Biography, Career & Stats
Colin Kaepernick is a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers. He played from 2011 to 2016 and gained notoriety beyond the world of sports with his national anthem protests against racial inequality and police violence. He also played a key role in advancing the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII. He had the record for most rushing yards in a playoff game until it was broken in 2021.
Super Bowl XLVII finalist
NFL play-off rushing record holder
181 yards
vs Green Bay Packers · January 2013
12,271
72 passing touchdowns · 69 NFL games
2,300
Dual-threat quarterback for 49ers
10,000 / 4,000
First FBS QB with 10k pass and 4k rush yards
About the athlete
Full name
Colin Rand Kaepernick
Date of birth
3 November 1987
Place of birth
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
Nationality
American
Sport
American football
Position
Quarterback
College
University of Nevada, Reno
NFL team
San Francisco 49ers
NFL career
2011–2016
NFL Draft
2011, second round, 36th overall
Career passing yards
12,271
Career passing touchdowns
72
Career rushing yards
2,300
Major achievement
Super Bowl XLVII appearance
Notable record
181 rushing yards in an NFL play-off game
Colin Kaepernick’s Football Career
Kaepernick developed into a dual-threat quarterback at Nevada before progressing to the NFL. His combination of passing ability and speed made him a central figure in San Francisco’s offence during the early 2010s.
Nevada: College Breakthrough
Kaepernick’s college football career started in 2007 as a member of the Nevada Wolf Pack. He featured in 11 games as a freshman and recorded 2,175 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns and 593 rushing yards. His impressive performances earned him the Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Award. In 2008, he improved his passing yards to 2,849 and also recorded 22 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,130 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. On offense, he helped Nevada to a conference championship, and was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year and the Humanitarian Bowl MVP. However, the bowl game is infamously remembered for Kaepernick’s performance. Nevada lost the game, and Kaepernick had an unproductive game, throwing four interceptions.
Nevada: Records and WAC Success
Kaepernick continued producing strong passing and rushing numbers during his final two college seasons.
In 2009, he threw for 2,052 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 1,183 yards and 16 scores.
His senior season brought 3,022 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns and 1,206 rushing yards.
On 26 November 2010, Nevada defeated previously unbeaten Boise State 34–31 in overtime, ending the Broncos’ 24-game winning streak.
Kaepernick completed his college career with 10,098 passing yards and 4,112 rushing yards. He became the first NCAA Division I FBS quarterback to surpass both 10,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards.
San Francisco 49ers: NFL Debut and Super Bowl
San Francisco selected Kaepernick with the 36th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.
He initially served as backup to quarterback Alex Smith, making limited appearances during his rookie season.
Kaepernick entered the starting line-up in November 2012 after Smith suffered a concussion. His first NFL start came against the Chicago Bears, when he threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns in a 32–7 victory.
He retained the starting role as the 49ers advanced towards the play-offs.
In January 2013, Kaepernick delivered one of his most memorable performances against the Green Bay Packers.
He rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing for 263 yards and two scores. San Francisco won 45–31, and his rushing total established an NFL single-game play-off record for a quarterback.
The 49ers subsequently defeated Atlanta in the NFC Championship before losing Super Bowl XLVII to the Baltimore Ravens, 34–31.
San Francisco 49ers: Established NFL Starter
Kaepernick entered the 2013 season as San Francisco’s first-choice quarterback.
He passed for 3,197 yards and 21 touchdowns during the regular season, adding 524 rushing yards.
The 49ers returned to the NFC Championship, where they lost 23–17 to the Seattle Seahawks.
In June 2014, Kaepernick signed a six-year contract extension with San Francisco.
He finished that season with 3,369 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns and 639 rushing yards.
However, the 49ers ended the campaign with an 8–8 record and missed the play-offs.
San Francisco 49ers: Final NFL Seasons
Kaepernick’s playing time decreased in 2015 after he lost his starting position. He later underwent surgery on his left shoulder.
He returned to the starting line-up during the 2016 campaign, passing for 2,241 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions.
He also added 468 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
San Francisco finished the season with a 2–14 record. Kaepernick opted out of his contract in March 2017 and entered free agency.
He has not appeared in an NFL regular-season game since 2016.
NFL Career Statistics and Achievements
Kaepernick’s NFL career included six regular seasons with the 49ers, two NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl appearance.
NFL Regular-Season Statistics
| Season | Games | Passing Yards | Passing TD | Rushing Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 3 | 35 | 0 | -2 |
| 2012 | 13 | 1,814 | 10 | 415 |
| 2013 | 16 | 3,197 | 21 | 524 |
| 2014 | 16 | 3,369 | 19 | 639 |
| 2015 | 9 | 1,615 | 6 | 256 |
| 2016 | 12 | 2,241 | 16 | 468 |
| Career total | 69 | 12,271 | 72 | 2,300 |
Records and Honours
| Achievement | Detail |
|---|---|
| NFL play-off rushing record | 181 yards by a quarterback in one game |
| Super Bowl XLVII | NFC champion with San Francisco |
| Super Bowl rushing touchdown | 15-yard quarterback touchdown |
| College career record | First FBS quarterback with 10,000 passing and 4,000 rushing yards |
| WAC Freshman of the Year | 2007 |
| WAC Offensive Player of the Year | 2008 |
| WAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year | 2010 |
His college achievements reflected a playing style built around passing and rushing. That combination later became central to San Francisco’s offensive approach during its Super Bowl run.
Colin Kaepernick’s NFL Impact and Civil Rights Activism
Kaepernick became a prominent figure in American sport far beyond his performances as a quarterback. During the 2016 NFL pre-season, he began sitting during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. After talking with former NFL player and military veteran Nate Boyer, he switched to kneeling, explaining that the protest was meant to highlight racial injustice, not to disrespect the military.
Other players soon joined similar demonstrations, and the anthem protests became one of the most debated topics in American sport:
- Supporters saw the gesture as a peaceful stand against racial injustice.
- Critics regarded it as disrespectful towards the national anthem and the flag.
- The NFL introduced a policy on player conduct during the anthem in May 2018, but suspended its enforcement while talks with the players’ union continued.
Kaepernick’s protests became a central part of wider discussions about athletes’ freedom of expression and the role of sport in social issues.
Colin Kaepernick: Post-NFL Career and Legacy
After leaving San Francisco in 2017, Kaepernick did not sign with another NFL team, despite publicly stating that he wanted to keep playing. His attempts to return and the disputes around them shaped the following years:
Filed a grievance accusing NFL team owners of colluding to keep him out of the league.
Became the face of Nike’s 30th-anniversary “Just Do It” campaign.
Reached a confidential settlement with the NFL in February. In November, he withdrew from a private workout organised by the league over disagreements about its terms and instead held a public workout near Atlanta, attended by several team representatives.
took part in a private workout with the Las Vegas Raiders in May. The same year, his former coach Jim Harbaugh revealed he had offered Kaepernick an assistant coaching role, which he declined.
Off the field, Kaepernick has continued to campaign for civil and human rights, particularly for young people, through the Know Your Rights Camp he founded in 2016. He remains one of the most influential examples of an athlete using his platform for social justice.
FAQ
Colin Kaepernick is a former San Francisco 49ers quarterback known for reaching Super Bowl XLVII, setting an NFL rushing record and beginning national anthem protests in 2016.
Kaepernick attended the University of Nevada, Reno, where he played for the Nevada Wolf Pack and became a record-setting dual-threat quarterback.
He rushed for 181 yards against the Green Bay Packers in January 2013, setting the NFL play-off record for rushing yards by a quarterback in one game.
Kaepernick played 69 regular-season games, recording 12,271 passing yards, 72 passing touchdowns, 30 interceptions and 2,300 rushing yards.
His final NFL season was 2016 with the San Francisco 49ers. He entered free agency in 2017 and has not played another regular-season NFL game.