Colin Kaepernick nearly won a Super Bowl with Jim Harbaugh as his head coach.
It was Harbaugh in 2012 who benched Alex Smith in favor of Kaepernick, who then went on to become one of the NFL's top quarterbacks.
STEELE: It's Colin Kaepernick's anthem and flag, too
Amid the national anthem controversy, the outspoken Harbaugh, now at Michigan, gave his thoughts on Kaepernick's protest.
Harbaugh on Kaepernick's decision: I acknowledge his right to do that. But I don't respect the motivation or the action.
— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) August 29, 2016
Harbaugh clarified his comment later, but the sentiment remained the same.
I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colin's motivation. It's his method of action that I take exception to
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) August 29, 2016
Harbaugh has been a longtime supporter of Kaepernick on and off the field, so his comments on the current controversy are especially relevant.