The Harbaugh family at this moment sits atop the NFL world. John Harbaugh is about to coach his Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs for the right to go to the Super Bowl.
And brother Jim - who John calls "the best coach in football'' - is back in the NFL to run the Los Angeles Chargers ... as he sees fit.
There are rumors that Jim's coaching staff in 2024 might include Colin Kaepernick, who was his Super Bowl QB a decade ago with the San Francisco 49ers. And one loud Chargers voice hates the idea.
And I think it would be a horrible decision," said Shawne Merriman, a former Chargers standout who has been outspoken on a number of team-related issues. "Absolutely not!''
What would be Harbaugh's logic if he made such a move? Obviously, if Kaepernick - blackballed out of football a half-decade ago largely for his sociopolitical beliefs and now 36 - is a candidate to join his staff in Los Angeles, Jim thinks him worthy and capable.
Merriman, speaking to Fox News Digital ... not so much.
"You got a lot of people out there putting in the time, putting in the effort and is waiting in line for those jobs and more qualified for those jobs,'' Merriman said. "And to jump over everybody else who spent their time, energy, still in line and work their way up, would just be a slap in the face to everyone that’s been committed to raising the bar."
Merriman is surely aware that ex-players often enter the coaching profession right away, especially if they are trusted by the boss. Merriman meanwhile likely has no idea what level of "time and energy'' Kaepernick might be putting in in pursuit of the next chapter in his career.
Will we see Kaepernick joining the Chargers staff in Los Angeles this year? That's up to one guy: Jim Harbaugh.
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