The future of Colin Kaepernick may have been the deciding factor for the San Francisco 49ers in choosing between Mike Shanahan and Chip Kelly.
According to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, one of the main reasons the 49ers went with Kelly over Shanahan was that Shanahan wanted to move on from Kaepernick.
“The deciding factor for the 49ers was that they believed Shanahan did not want to keep Colin Kaepernick as a quarterback,” Cole said Wednesday. “Ultimately, they believed that Shanahan wanted to draft a quarterback with their high pick in the first round. The 49ers wanted to keep Kaepernick because ownership believes he can be salvaged.”
Assuming that report is true, we have obviously come a long way from speculation that Kaepernick had played his last snap in San Francisco.
Given the way Kaepernick played this season, you have to wonder if Kelly was able to convince the 49ers that they do not have to hit the reset button at the quarterback position. Kelly has had success in the past with mobile quarterbacks like Marcus Mariota, so it’s possible that he convinced the Niners’ brass that he can bring back some of the talent that Kaepernick used to lead San Francisco to the Super Bowl a few years back.
Cole also added that Shanahan was endorsed by 49ers legends like Steve Young and Ronnie Lott, so it’s a bit surprising that they went with Kelly and all the baggage he brings with him from Philadelphia.
If you want to know how highly Kelly thinks of Kaepernick, just read this report. The 49ers are apparently hopeful that Kelly can turn things around for the 28-year-old.
