Simms, Esiason criticize Kaepernick, 49ers

With San Francisco playing host to Super Bowl 50, former quarterbacks turned media personalities Phil Simms and Boomer Esiason are being asked about the 49ers and specifically Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick struggled mightily in 2015, losing his starting job to Blaine Gabbert after completing 59 percent of passes, throwing five interceptions in nine games.

"I'm hoping that Chip Kelly can do something with Colin," Esiason said Monday. "I don't want to see guys fail. I don't want to have to sit there on Sunday and tell a fan that his quarterback stinks for whatever reason. But now he's going to be going into a new system, I think a system that will be more apt for him to do well and hopefully Chip will give him a chance. I think that's probably one of the reasons Chip is here, I would think."

So why did Kaepernick experience such a precipitous drop off after taking the league by storm with his arm and legs in 2012 and 2013? Esiason blames a change in coaching philosophies.

"Jim Harbaugh went to Michigan," Esiason said. "As much as I respect the coaches, as much as I respect assistant coaches in the league, I mean, Jim Tomsula?"

Simms - who is a two-time Super Bowl champion and will be featured as the color commentator during CBS' broadcast of Super Bowl 50 - links Kaepernick's downfall to the 49ers' inability to keep talent around the young quarterback.

"If you had asked me this question three years ago, we'd be looking the other way, wouldn't we?" Simms said, before praising that 49ers team as one of the most impressive ever.

"Wow, everybody was in shape, so many people at the peak of their careers, and look at it now. Look at the team now. You don't even recognize it. That had something to do with it. I give Colin Kaepernick, some of it's his fault. You've got to learn to adapt in the NFL. You've got to do whatever it takes to succeed and maybe he hasn't done his part to fulfill his end of it."