Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Chip Kelly confirms that Kaepernick will start against the Rams
Dec 19, 2016 at 11:07 AM
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This morning on
KNBR 680, San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly confirmed that Colin Kaepernick would be the starting quarterback on Saturday when the team travels to Los Angeles to play the Rams. You can
read the entire transcript here.
When Murph & Mac host Brian Murphy asked if Kaepernick would be the starter, Kelly answered, "Yes."
Following Sunday's loss to the Falcons, Kaepernick said that the 49ers were in need of a culture change. "We have to create a culture of winning, and winning by any means," he said. "Right now, our culture isn't that. We have to be able to improve and create that."
RELATED Chip Kelly on KNBR: "It's tough to say you're in a winning culture when you're not winning."
Kelly was asked about the comment. "I know that winning needs to change to a degree," Kelly said. "I don't know what the cultural part of it means. I know we need to win football games and part of being in a winning culture is winning. It's tough to say you're in a winning culture when you're not winning."
Did Kelly have a reaction to Kaepernick's comment? "I don't have a reaction to that," he answered. "I'm not anything on that. I don't think anything of it. I think Kap's like everybody else. He's frustrated. Kap goes out and prepares each week and competes each week. I love the way he prepares. I love the way he competes. So I don't really think about that, to be honest with you."
On Sunday, Christian Ponder was active for the first time this season. Would Kelly ever consider Ponder as an option to start in order to at least see if he has anything for the future? "We evaluate our players every day and get an opportunity to see them every day and we believe Kap gives us our best chance to win on Saturday," Kelly said.
Ponder replaced Blaine Gabbert as the team's backup quarterback against the Falcons. The 49ers have just two games left before their season ends. The play the Rams on Christmas Eve and then host the Seattle Seahawks in their finale on New Year's Day.
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