And in Week 16, finally, he had occasion to kiss his right bicep.
Colin Kaepernick ran a record-threatening 90 yards for his first rushing touchdown of the 2014 season but, unfortunately for his team, it came in another defeat: this time a 38-35 home loss to the San Diego Chargers.
"I'm more worried about the outcome of the game," Kaepernick said. "We have to be able to finish these games and pull these wins out."
Kaepernick pointed to his offense's three fumbles (one by fullback Bruce Miller in the first quarter, one by Kaepernick in the third and one by wideout Quinton Patton in overtime) as something that the team as a whole couldn't overcome.
Not even with that impressive, highlight-worthy run of his.
The play, which started with Kaepernick in the shotgun and staying in the pocket, would give the 49ers a 35-21 lead late in the third quarter.
Asked about it postgame, number seven was willing to discuss.
"I was just hoping I could make the last man miss and not get caught from there," Kaepernick said, referencing San Diego safety Eric Weddle. "Happy that we could get the touchdown."
What did Weddle say when the two embraced on the field after the final whistle?
"He told me, 'Don't do it again,'" Kaepernick said.
He would be hard-pressed to repeat it.
The run was the second-longest by a quarterback in NFL history; then-Oakland Raiders passer Terrelle Pryor ran 93 yards last year.
It was also the second-longest by a 49ers ball carrier in team history; Garrison Hearst scampered 96 yards in Week 1 of the 1998 season.
Told of the rare company he's joining, the quarterback said, "We're going to try to go for 99 then."
SUGGESTED: ________
- READ: Recapping San Francisco's Defeat
- READ: What We Learned from 49ers Loss
- WATCH: Postgame Press Conferences
- WATCH: Full Highlights of 49ers-Chargers
- VIEW: Photo Gallery of Week 16 Action
- VIEW: Complete Stats of SF-SD Game
- WATCH: Kaepernick's 90-yard Scoring Run
- WATCH: Bethea Picks off Rivers for Six
