Colin Kaepernick’s latest comments about Alex Smith only burnish Smith’s standing in San Francisco. On the All the Smoke podcast, Kaepernick made it clear that the quarterback he eventually replaced was more than just a teammate ahead of him on the depth chart.
“I was very fortunate to have a quarterback like Alex Smith in front of me who was so collaborative and willing to give me insight on his approach, how he was thinking about the game. I don't think I would have been ready as quickly for the stakes that were ahead if I didn't get to work with him in that way.”
Smith’s help mattered because Kaepernick was young and untested when he took over. The source of that development wasn’t just coaching or the system - it was also Smith, who had just lost his job and still chose to guide the next man up.
That fits the way Smith has been viewed for years in San Francisco. He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft and had some rough early seasons, but things finally started to click once Jim Harbaugh arrived. By the time he suffered a concussion in the 2012 campaign, he was in the middle of a strong year, completing 70.2 percent of his passes with 13 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
The 49ers were in position to contend with Smith, and there’s a good chance they could have made the Super Bowl with him still under center. But Kaepernick brought a different element to the offense, and once he got the job, the transition took off from there.
What stands out now is how Smith handled the whole thing. Plenty of quarterbacks would have bristled at being replaced by a second-year player, especially after an injury.
Smith didn’t make it about himself. He stayed collaborative, and that helped the 49ers get Kaepernick ready fast enough to make the run they did.
That same attitude is part of why Smith remains such a respected figure. He still lives in the Bay Area and continues to say positive things about the 49ers, even though plenty of players in his position would have turned bitter. The fact that he helped Kaepernick get up to speed says plenty about him.
It also makes the old 2005 draft decision look a little different in hindsight. The source article points out that Smith’s demeanor was more tame than Aaron Rodgers’, and that Rodgers has often projected arrogance and been willing to throw teammates under the bus during his career. In that light, Smith came off as the better fit when both players interviewed with San Francisco before the draft.
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