STANFORD – Head coach Chip Kelly said Thursday he is staying away from the business side of the 49ers’ interaction with quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
But he made it clear that he wants to have an opportunity to coach him.
“I’d love to have him,” Kelly said at Stanford’s pro day. “I’m a big Kap fan.”
Kelly said he has not gotten any indication from Kaepernick that he wishes to play elsewhere this season. Kelly said at the NFL Scouting Combine that he thought Kaepernick was excited about playing for the 49ers.
Just hours later, Kaepernick’s agents informed 49ers general manager Trent Baalke and the team’s lead negotiator, Paraag Marathe, that they were requesting permission to seek a trade. Agents Scott Smith and Jason Bernstein of XAM Sports represent Kaepernick.
“I never got that from Colin,” Kelly said. “That was his agents talking to Trent. They had a meeting with Trent and Paraag. I’ve never been privy to any of that stuff.
[MAIOCCO: Source: 49ers will not seek to release Kaepernick]
“I talked to Kap two days ago. We had a good conversation. That’s the business side of this game. And whatever that is, that is. If he’s here on the fourth (of April), we’ll be ready to go.”
The 49ers’ voluntary offseason program is set to begin on April 4. Kaepernick is currently rehabbing from surgeries to his left shoulder, right thumb and left knee.
“He said he’s doing well,” Kelly said. “He’s back in Vail, still rehabbing. But he said he feels like he’s on track. He’s getting healthy and he’s excited. And that’s the biggest thing for him, just getting healthy.
“I talk to him. ‘If you’re here, we’re going to coach the heck out of you.’ And he was excited about that. I said I understand there’s a business side to this, and you guys deal with the business side. That’s why he has an agent, and that’s why we have a personnel department. They deal with all of that stuff.
“I deal with him as a football player, and he’s been great.”
