Colin Kaepernick suggests the 49ers were tanking with Chip Kelly in 2016

In 2016, the San Francisco 49ers experienced a challenging season, finishing with a 2-14 record due to issues within the organization. Former quarterback Colin Kaepernick expressed in his memoir that the 49ers were not genuinely interested in winning games during that time. While the team claimed they were rebuilding under head coach Chip Kelly, Kaepernick argued that they had no strategy in place to acquire the talent Kelly desired.

This lack of planning was evident in the wide receiver position, where Kaepernick criticized the 49ers' top receiver, Jeremy Kerley, as being comparable to a sixth or seventh receiver on another team. The 49ers also reported having $40 million in available salary cap space, which Kaepernick believed should have been used to strengthen the roster.

Kerley, who led the team in receiving yards with 516, was a testament to the 49ers' struggles. The team's own owner, Jed York, expressed dissatisfaction with the 49ers' performance during a press conference following the dismissal of head coach Jim Tomsula. Despite publicly stating they were rebuilding, the 49ers were reportedly short on resources, both in terms of free agency signings and contract restructurings.

Chip Kelly's defensive coach, Jim O'Neil, was also considered one of the worst defensive coaches in league history. Given the 49ers' lack of investments in free agency and their inability to support Kelly's offensive and defensive systems, it appears plausible that the team may have been "tanking" during that season.