49ers coach Jim Tomsula told reporters this week he hoped the benching of Colin Kaepernick would give the struggling quarterback a "step back and breathe."
In his first public comments since he lost the job, Kaepernick made it clear Friday he doesn't agree with Tomsula's thinking.
"I'm not out of breath so I don't understand that reference."
A reporter then rephrased the question, pointing out that Tomsula likely meant giving Kaepernick an opportunity to take a mental break from the pressure that has building during a trying season.
"No, I don't believe in pressure," he replied, via the Bay Area News Group. "Pressure is not being prepared for what you want to do. To me, I played full seasons. I've played full seasons and been successful. It's something that mentally I've been through before. I'm not incapable of going through things."
Kaepernick said the Monday meeting in which he learned he had been benched was brief. A reporter asked Kaepernick if he asked why or if a reason was given for the decision to turn to Blaine Gabbert.
"That decision is out of my control, and I left it at that," he said, via CSN Bay Area. "I respect their authority."
As you can see in the video above, Kaepernick doesn't look or sound happy about his demotion after a three-year hold on the starting job in San Francisco. Kaepernick may yet get the opportunity to salvage his season somehow. For now, he'll have to wait while someone else performs the job he believes to be his.
