KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Alex Smith is the Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback only because he was displaced three years ago by Colin Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers. After benching Smith, the 49ers traded him to the Chiefs, and his future now looks far more secure than that of Kaepernick.
Kaepernick was benched recently as the 49ers’ starter in favor of Blaine Gabbert. He appears to have played his last snap with the 49ers. In any case, he is done for the season because of an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.
Kaepernick is the NFL’s 28th rated passer this season for the 3-7 49ers. Smith is 14th for the 5-5 Chiefs.
“I see it from afar,’’ Smith said. “So many things have changed since I was there. Tough for me to speculate. I’m certainly shocked, looking at it from afar, that it’s gone the way it’s gone. It’s surprising.’’
Smith was none too happy about being benched during the middle of the 2012 season. But he said he doesn’t feel vindicated by what’s happened with Kaepernick.
“I was beyond that a long time ago,’’ he said. “If anything, I’m just kind of shocked the way things have happened.’’