The 49ers’ Hall of Fame quarterbacks have weighed in on former 49er quarterback Colin Kaepernick in recent days, with Joe Montana and Steve Young having different takes.
Montana questioned Kaepernick’s skill set, while also calling Kaepernick’s political stance a distraction. Montana wondered aloud about Kaepernick’s NFL future.
But Young said Friday he’s “surprised” Kaepernick remains unsigned.
“I’m surprised, even with the situation last year with the kneel down during the national anthem, that people can’t see through that and see, here’s a good player that wants to play and is not toxic in the locker room,” Young told KNBR’s Murph & Mac from the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe. “But he’s got to fit, too. He’s the kind of guy who’s going to come off a play fake, see a guy, throw it. If you want him to read through, you want him to find the fourth receiver, the outlet — that’s probably not his game. So he’s got to find the right spot for himself.”
Kaepernick completed 59.2 percent of his passes last season with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. While his record as a starter was 1-10, he was on one of the worst teams in the NFL.
49ers General Manager John Lynch has said Kaepernick needs to reiterate his commitment to football, and Young agrees teams need to know Kaepernick’s mindset.
“I’d have to sit down with him, look him in the eye, see what he really wants to do, see how much work he has in him,” Young said. “Because if he wants to work, the guy can play. So if he wants to do the work and he wants to get better, which I can’t imagine him not [wanting to do that].”
