Kaepernick: “I’m not out of breath, so I don’t understand that reference.”

SANTA CLARA

Colin Kaepernick spoke at his locker Friday afternoon for the first time since getting benched. Here’s a transcript.

Q: What was the conversation like on Monday when you found out your coach had made a decision (to bench you)?

KAEPERNICK: They told me they were going to sit me, and that was about the extent of the conversation.

Q: Did you ask why, or were there any reasons given?

KAEPERNICK: That decision is out of my control and I left it at that. I respect their authority.

Q: Jim Tomsula said on Wednesday he’s benching you to give you an opportunity to breath, take a step back and refocus. Do you think you need that opportunity?

KAEPERNICK: I’m not out of breath, so I don’t understand that reference.

Q: I think he meant mentally, just giving you a break from all the pressure that has been building this year. Do you feel that was building inside of you, too?

KAEPERNICK: No, I don’t believe in pressure. Pressure is not being prepared for what you want to do. To me, I’ve played full seasons. I’ve played full seasons and been successful. It’s something that mentally I’ve been through before. I’m not incapable of going through things.

Q: Is it hard for you to go out there knowing you’re not the starter?

KAEPERNICK: No. To me, that’s selfish, to put that on myself and take away from my teammates and take away from Blaine. I’ll support my teammates and I’ll support Blaine in everything they do because they’ve been good to me.

Q: A year and a half ago, you had a press conference where you talked about signing a team-friendly deal to try to get some of your other teammates signed. Do you feel like the team reciprocated, held up their end of the bargain?

KAEPERNICK: That’s not something for me to say. I just try to do my part to try to help this organization, help this team and do everything I can to try to help us be successful.

Q: Geep Chryst was saying yesterday that he simply doesn’t think you have the same support around you that you did in 2012. What’s your take on that? Do you feel like this is as good of a team as the Super Bowl squad?

KAEPERNICK: We have a very different team than we did then. We had a lot of veterans, a lot of very experienced players who had been through a lot of different things and had been through a lot of struggles. So, when they stepped on the field, it was with a passion that they didn’t want to go back to where they were at before. And that’s something that we haven’t faced those struggles as a team until now. We have a lot of young players.

Q: You’re the first person that has gotten benched of poor performance. Do you feel like you’re being scapegoated?

KAEPERNICK: I don’t pass judgment on that. I do everything I can to try to help this team win, try to support my teammates and try to go out and help us get a “W” on Sunday.

Q: When you look back at the last few games, were instances where you thought you could have played better?

KAEPERNICK: Yeah, there’s always times you think you can play better. Even in wins, there are things you can do better. I haven’t seen a quarterback play a perfect game yet. I’m very critical of myself. I’m very critical of what I feel I can do to try to help this team.

Q: In the backup role, are you spending more time watching film of yourself or preparing for the Falcons?

KAEPERNICK: No, I’m still game planning for Atlanta. I’m still mentally focused and locked in.

Q: Geep said quite directly yesterday, he thought when you came in in 2012 you had the mentality of, “OK, I’m the new guy – I’m going to go make some plays.” Whereas he thought this year you were trying to avoid mistakes. Would you agree with his assessment?

KAEPERNICK: No, I don’t believe that’s accurate. Every time I step on the field, I step on the field to make plays. So, that’s just a matter of opinion.

This article has 42 Comments

  1. Ugh- this Kaepernick, his answers are like nails on a chalkboard. Kap has flat out sucked this year- it is obvious to everyone he is playing not to make mistakes. It would be nice if he just owned it.

    I really dislike how the media is trying to make this out like the niners are “scapgoating” Kap. Truth is- at the beginning of the season, it was all about- “how good is Kap.” This niners team could have been anywhere between 4-12 and 10-6 all based on how Kap played- He sucked and the niners will likely go 4-12.

    I hope the niners keep an open mind on Gabbert- unlike many media pundits- i think Gabbert can be a permanent niner QB playing as an above average QB, and he may very well win this weekends game.

    1. If he said he sucked you would say it proves he lacks confidence. He supports Blaine like he should and is loyal. We’ll see if the Blaine train is still on the tracks after Seattle. If he is the permanent Niner QB, the team is in permanent trouble.

      1. Not at all- Kobe bryant said he sucked a week ago. I could not respect anyone more. Kap sucks by ANY AND ALL OBJECTIVE MEASURES. He is a bottom 5 QB- to try to ignore it and claim he doesnt understand why he needs to step back is just crazy talk.

        Here is what you say- “yea, coach is probably right, i need some time to clear my head. A QB that puts up my numbers isnt going to cut it in the NFL. I am going to take this opportunity to refocus and improve. I support blain and will do anything i can to help this team win.”

        Thats it- not hard. Acting like an unaware jackwagon…. not a good look.

      2. Oh- one more thing. If you are a great player- and an MVP type in sports- then you can get away with any facial hair – long beard on harden, ok…. unibrow on Anthony Davis, cool beans.

        Kap needs to play way better to be able to rock his pubic hair beard. The fact he has had that beard for this long in the season without anyone telling him- “uh dude, your beard looks like it belongs in seventies porn- I keep expecting a penis to fall out of it.” leads me to believe that there is no one in his life that is keeping it real with the kid. To be fair maybe he doesnt know he sucks- everyone around him just lets him live in his delusion.

        Perhaps the Beats headphones he wears have produced a protective cocoon where his poor decisions can flourish….

        1. Kaep has the worst beard in all of pro sports. Have you seen Andrew Luck’s beard? He looks like a rugged mountain man.That’s an MVP beard.

          Do you know why Kaep’s beard sucks? Because he can’t read a mirror. He sees his face and he doesn’t know where to place his razor.

          He’s too locked up.

          1. Andrew Luck has a ‘get his coach fired’ beard. It’s not a good look. With that being said, Kaepernick looks like a Teddy Pendergrass inspired Great Gazoo. Most younger guys are delusional about their facial hair. It’s not a look everybody can pull off. I watched Grant on television once. He looked like he was hungover. He was trying way too hard with his carefully orchestrated Shaggy scruff and messy hair. Like the Great Kaepazoo, it was a bad look.

          2. Seriously Fan? You’re attacking the look of Kapernick’s beard? That’s just searching for stupid reasons to hate on him. Sheesh.

            1. It’s a pretty sorry beard. All the other successful Niner QBs had amazing beards. What happened to growing a beard with class?

              1. I’m most disappointed in his eye-brow. But I’ll give Kaep some credit for his eye lashes. They’re quite full. I think he uses mascara. Or he works out every day doing eye lash pull-ups or something.

              2. Fan, we get it. You’re jealous of the way Kaepernick looks. We also get that you will insult Kaepernick for the way he eats, what toothbrush he uses, and how often he goes No. 1 or No. 2.

              3. I heard Kaep divided the locker room when he did his No.2. It stunk so bad and he would not flush. He would just leave his business in the bowl, And Tomsula would flush it for him.
                It makes sense when you really think about it.

    2. If you’re not a media pundit, exactly what kind of pundit are you?

      Do you really believe that an “above” average QB could be a permanent QB for Jed who demands, for his fans of course, a Superbowl win every year?

      1. A pundit is anyone who is an expert in a field called upon to give insight- there are sports pundits- like a Fran Tarkenton- who has played the game and has opinions on Kap- but he isnt a media figure.

        A media pundit is more like grant- just some random dude in the media giving opinions because he showed up, or daddy got him a job, or he knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a guy etc.

  2. Kaep may have tried to say all the right things, but he should never contradict his coach.. Kaep should have said that if his coach wants him to take a breath, his proper response would have been to say,-How deep?
    Kaep is slowly learning. After I remarked after his first interview that I would like to see him dressed in a suit, he finally got the message and wore a suit.
    Here is another piece of advice. Ditch the head phones. Obviously, they irritated your team mates, so I do not care how much they pay you to wear them. Ditch them, or actually impress me by wearing Sennheisers or JVCs instead of those crappy Beats.
    Sometimes, it takes failure to get a person’s attention. Kaep should not have been so defensive. He should have admitted his play has hurt the team, so he could agree that the coaches were right to sit him down, instead of just saying that the decision was out of his control. I am glad he is accepting it, but I hope they communicate more and better. I hope the coaches could have sat him down, and gone over the tapes with him. Those 2 non passes to Torrey and Patton were so glaring, Kaep should admit that any competent QB would not have missed those receivers. Any competent caring coach should have sat down with Kaep and explained their reasoning.

    1. Woulda coulda shoulda.
      When what they DID was cataclysmically bad. the second guessing follows.

      1. Seb,
        You may be the last true die hard Kaep fan. I respect that. Stay true to your convictions. He will do well with Chip Kelly in Philly and I wish him well.

        What a crazy ride for that bearded dude. In his first start he comes into the league and lights it up against Chicago and the world goes, “Whoah that guy is awesome!”

        And then one game, the one in AZ the world goes, “Whoah that guy sucks.”

        Crazy is as crazy does!

        1. Fan, I will stay true to my Niners, but if a QB ignores a wide open player for a TD, he deserves to be benched.

            1. Well, I can tell Jed to go stand in a corner for a time out. Paraag to go crawl back under his rock, and Chryst can pick up his crayons and go home. Will that help?

  3. No way! Really? There’s a thread dealing with Colin’s beard?
    “Oh-One more thing…..”
    smh

  4. Dear Kaep, this is an open letter to you, and I will not post it anywhere else, so I hope some poster will direct your attention to it, since it will contain things to help you improve. Maybe Bob Lange will see this.
    This all started when you welched on a deal. When you bet RW an eyebrow on the outcome of the game. then did not honor your promise, that was the beginning of your troubles. Since then, you have not had success, so I hope you go to the hospital RW visits every Wednesday, and allow one of those kids to shave off an eyebrow. It would be great publicity for their cause and would make you look good and show good sportsmanship. Then you should shave the other one off to balance them out, and let a Camp Taylor kid to do it. After that, I hope you would shave your head and beard as a symbol of shame because of how you have played. To tell the truth, your play has been horrific, and you are a big reason why the Niners are 2-6. Your play has hurt the team, and when you ignore an uncovered player, you brought all the derision upon yourself.
    I hope you can humbly accept your benching, and am glad you support Gabbert. I hope you get back on the field, but hope you have learned something. I hope you will now see that wasting time every play has led to your regression. I hope you get smarter and stop walking up to the line, look confused, and waste a time out. If you incur another DOG penalty, I expect you to walk off the field, admit you cannot lead, and let Gabbert play full time. Quarterbacking in the NFL is hard to do. I think you can become a leader, but so far, you have shown little leadership. If you really stole AS GF, you deserve what has happened to you. You should drop that Delilah because she is the reason you lost your best pass rusher, and go to Aldon and apologize.
    I hope you pay your debts, honor your commitments, admit your shortcomings, learn from your mistakes, and help lead the Niners to a couple more rings.

  5. Another finger point to GM. Special teams is not great.UsuLly draft picks
    Play special teams. No one seems to
    Stand out that he picked.

  6. It’s the first week of November and 9er fans are discussing regime change and the draft; sweet.

    1. Without overhaul the management, discussing the draft is almost pointless. Discussing overhauling the management, given Jed’s needs, is pointless.

    2. Its better than talking about the game. Falcons are all fired up about the ‘Weak Defense’ comment.
      I predict Kaep plays so Gabbert can catch his breath, after Gabbert gets drilled into the Levi sod.

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