The Coolest NFL Dad Is A Cheese Executive Who Tweets About His Son’s Tortoise

Colin Kaepernick’s dad is the coolest NFL dad.

1. This is Rick Kaepernick.

2. This is Rick’s son, Colin. Colin’s the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers and one of the most exciting young passers in the league.

Image by Stacy Revere / Getty Images

Rick Kaepernick is a cheese executive. To be more specific, he’s the vice president of operations for Hilmar Cheese Company, based out of Hilmar, California. Prior to working at Hilmar, he worked in the dairy industry in Milwaukee, making him and Colin Green Bay Packers fans — aka Cheeseheads — until the 49ers drafted Colin in 2011.

4. This is Colin’s enormous tortoise, Sammy. How do we know that Colin has an enormous tortoise named Sammy? Because of Rick.

Source: pbs.twimg.com

5. Rick, aka @QBDAD7 — which is the greatest Twitter handle of all time, ever — tweeted this to Colin, aka @Kaepernick7, along with the picture seen above.

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Kaepernick7 took ur pet for a walk today....his message to u is get in BEAST mode...he says he is. #heismissingyou pic.twitter.com/TXL65cFK

6:52 PM - 22 Sep 12

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6. This is Colin’s uncle, Rand, who Rick calls “forklift.” Rand signs his tweets, which is awesome. The Kaepernicks are a cool family.

rand d kaepernick @forklift10

@QBDAD7 @Kaepernick7 Hope you didn't have any problem keeping up.

8:32 PM - 22 Sep 12

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7. SAMMY’S BEEN WORKING OUT.

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@forklift10 was tough, Sammy has been working out, but I managed.

9:03 PM - 22 Sep 12

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8. (Sidenote: Colin’s brother Kyle has the Twitter handle @darthkaepernick. Great handle.)

Colin Kaepernick @Kaepernick7

Happy birthday to my brother @darthkaepernick aka kyle! Would go to the end of the worldfor this man! instagr.am/p/SpDMKwtBM9/

5:09 AM - 30 Nov 12

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9. Rick then had a conversation with a random 49ers fan, and, after an very endearing battle with Twitter’s character limit, thanks the fan for his attention.

#NinerFaithful @Niners741983

@QBDAD7 is that real ? Wow that's huge !!!!!

7:47 PM - 22 Sep 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Niners741983 it is real, Colin got him at age 10, held him in his palm. Today, he is 115 pounds and waiting for Colin to buy :)

9:57 PM - 22 Sep 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Niners741983 ran out of room, Sammy is waiting for colin buy his own house so he can move in:)))

10:01 PM - 22 Sep 12

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#NinerFaithful @Niners741983

@QBDAD7 wow !! What a memorable story ! That thing is huge ! Thanks for the response , big fan of ur son

10:34 PM - 22 Sep 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Niners741983 thanks for being a fan of Colin's. Really appreciate it. Go Niners!!!!

10:57 PM - 22 Sep 12

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14. Then he put a helmet on the tortoise.

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Kaepernick7 Sammy wanted to let you know he is working out and almost ready if AD or any lineman need a break. pic.twitter.com/w5qOXMiI

8:26 PM - 6 Oct 12

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So, that’s a pretty cool tortoise. He also tweets with Colin’s former college teammates, who now play for other NFL teams.

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@VGreen85 I see you on tv with that bronco sweatshirt on. Tell @Kaepernick7 to move out of the way quicker on a out of bounds play.

4:46 AM - 21 Oct 12

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Virgil Green @VGreen85

@QBDAD7 Kap said don’t trip lol

5:36 AM - 21 Oct 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@VGreen85 ha ha, Kap just wishes he was as quick as me. Your brother playing good tonight. Love seeing it.

5:46 AM - 21 Oct 12

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19. Rick saying that Colin wishes he was as fast as him is 1) the most dad thing to say ever and 2) a running joke.

Colin Kaepernick @Kaepernick7

I'll let you fill in the blank! instagr.am/p/Rit2chNBHK/

9:35 PM - 2 Nov 12

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Source: instagr.am

21. RICK

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Kaepernick7 well, when I see you Monday night, that T-shirt should say RICK:) At least it would be the truth!!!

2:34 AM - 3 Nov 12

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22. Like any good dad, he shares pictures of his son from his youth.

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@Kaepernick7 no chin hair, clean look:) pic.twitter.com/CtD3QcMD

2:52 AM - 5 Oct 12

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23. Also, like any good dad, he has no idea how to use Twitter. Here he tries to tweet something to someone named Jacqueline Newkirk. It takes a few tries.

Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

Jacqueline Newkirk.

3:38 AM - 4 Nov 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@jackinewkirk

3:40 AM - 4 Nov 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

Enjoying wine with your parents. Colin wants to see the tat "pink". Hope ur having fun. Go Air Force!!!!

3:47 AM - 4 Nov 12

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26. And, when Colin’s teammates go down with injuries — Kyle Williams suffered a season-ending ACL tear — Rick wishes them well.

Kyle Williams @KyleWilliams_10

Psalms 118:6

1:23 AM - 28 Nov 12

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Rick Kaepernick @QBDAD7

@KyleWilliams_10 You are in Kap's family's thoughts and prayers. No doubt to us you will come back stronger. Keep the faith.

1:37 AM - 28 Nov 12

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So basically, Rick Kaepernick is the perfect football dad: He has a cool job, he makes goofy dad jokes about being more athletic than his NFL-quarterback son, he can barely use Twitter, and he sounds like a great guy.

And as parents to Colin, the Kaepernicks have a story that’s both touching and brutal. After a son, Kyle, was born succesfully, two more sons died of congenital heart defects soon after birth. Then a daughter, Devon, survived, but for their third child, they decided to adopt. That son is Colin.

Colin was born on Nov. 3, 1987, in Milwaukee. His genetic mother, whom he has never met, was 19. His genetic father was out of the picture. His genetic mother had three criteria for picking Colin’s new family: siblings, financial stability and an athletic background. She picked Rick and Teresa, and shortly after 5-week-old Colin was living in New London, Wis., a city of about 6,700 residents located about 40 miles southwest of Green Bay.

Via: sfo.scout.com

Having that son turn into an NFL starting quarterback — not to mention a seemingly good person and well-liked teammate — seems like the perfect reward for that kind of good deed.