Colin Kaepernick admits he needs to gain weight, eat more

After recently claiming he has not lost any muscle mass as a result of his decision to switch to a vegan diet, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick now admits he needs to put on a few pounds.

On Monday, 49ers head coach Chip Kelly once again mentioned that Kaepernick is not near his previous playing weight of 225 pounds in the wake of three offseason surgeries that led to less time spent in the weight room. Kaepernick is now willing to acknowledge that.

“I think it’s the fact that my weight isn’t where it was,” the 28-year-old said, via Eric Branch of The San Francisco Chronicle. “My strength is still growing, developing. But, once again, I’m always going to be prepared. Always ready to put it on the line for this team.”

As for how he plans to regain some of the weight he lost, Kaepernick has a very simple plan.

“Eat food,” he told reporters. “And a lot of it.”

The question is what kind of food. Kaepernick decided to go vegan with his girlfriend, MTV star Nessa Diab, about 10 months ago. He has said he feels more happy and healthy since cutting out animal products, but it can be extremely difficult for a professional athlete to maintain weight on a strict vegan diet.

Despite being a few pounds lighter than last season, Kaepernick insists he is ready to play.

“Whenever (Kelly) feels I’m ready to step on that field, and he’s ready to put me out there, I’ll be ready and willing,” he said.

According to a report we shared with you earlier this week, that opportunity could come sooner rather than later. Heck, even one star player from a division rival believes Kaepernick should be starting over Blaine Gabbert. Maybe a few extra servings of protein-packed beans will get Kaepernick closer to some meaningful playing time.