There’s been no shortage of criticism against 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick--namely for how he carries himself when interacting with the media.
Hall of Famer Jerry Rice was asked about Kaepernick, and he replied: “Well, when I first came in I was very defensive too with the media, because you guys said stuff at times that really, really got under my skin?”
According to CSN, he added: “But then I said ‘You know what I need to be a better professional’
“I think with Colin, right now, he’s very frustrated and he doesn’t want to talk to the meida, but it’s important for him to let the fans know what’s going on.
“Plus those fans pay the salary, they have a right for an explanation. So be a professional, deal with it the right way and just move on.”
Following Sunday’s loss against the Raiders, Kaepernick didn’t say much during his press conference. “I need to play better,” he said at one point, without elaborating.
Before that, on Wednesday, Kaepernick used only 87 words to answer about three dozen questions. He also pushed a cameraman during halftime of the Raiders game.
Also, TMZ obtained a video of Raiders linebacker Sio Moore and Kaepernick in an exchange after the game. “I hope you are. I’m coming for you,” Kaepernick said, and Moore then hurled a few epithets at the quarterback.
Later, Moore called Kaepernick “a chump.”
As the San Francisco Chronicle notes, if 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh leaves next season, it could spell trouble for Kaepernick. “The seven-year, $126 million, team-friendly contract he signed last summer allows the 49ers to cut him at any time with little financial repercussion. Kaepernick already received his signing bonus, $12.3 million. The way the contract is structured, basically a series of one-year deals, the 49ers can dump Kaepernick before April 1 in any of the next six years,” said an analysis in the Chronicle on Tuesday.
