Colin Kaepernick is not overly concerned about throwing mechanics, instead believing that getting the ball to a receiver by any means necessary is the highest priority for a quarterback.
The San Francisco 49ers quarterback was asked about his stance on mechanics in light of criticism from his college coach, Chris Ault.
“Ultimately, whether the receiver catches the ball and the ball’s in the right position is the only thing that matters,” Kaepernick said Wednesday via ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “Mechanics are — I’m not huge on them. You can look at Philip Rivers throw; you can look at Tom Brady throw. Looks completely different, [but] they’re both great quarterbacks.”
It’s an interesting viewpoint from Kaepernick, who worked with Kurt Warner over the offseason to improve as a quarterback and even changed his mechanics thanks to his work with another QB coach.
But Ault, who recruited Kaepernick to Nevada, thinks he knows what is going on with his former pupil.
“He has a low elbow at times. It’s not a sidearm throw by any means, but his elbow and arm are at 90 degrees instead of having that thing extended all the way up. He does that because he’s so doggone strong. He’s one of the few guys that can get away throwing that way, but when you have to make the touch pass, drop it over (coverage), or if you have to anticipate where a receiver is going, that type of release often times makes you very inconsistent. That’s what I’m seeing. I saw it when we were at Nevada a little bit,” Ault told FOX Sports’ Ross Jones.
Kaepernick saying he’s not too worried about throwing mechanics could just be his way of trying to block out all criticism. Last week he said he wasn’t too worried about his job security, when he probably actually is.
After helping the Niners to the Super Bowl in just his second season — and first as a starter — Kaepernick has regressed in each successive year. He has played so poorly this season that many have argued it’s time for him to be benched. If you ask me what the biggest problem for Kaepernick is, it’s that he’s no longer playing for Jim Harbaugh, who brought the best out of him.
