SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Colin Kaepernick stood in a cramped corner of the 49ers' locker room smiling and chatting with Alex Smith late Saturday night when a stranger interrupted the two quarterbacks.
"Wow, great game," said former franchise quarterback John Brodie, shaking Kaepernick's hand and patting him on the back. "Nice to meet you."
After a record-setting playoff debut that sent San Francisco to the NFC championship game for the second straight season, Kaepernick needs no more introductions.
The second-year pro out of Nevada squashed all the questions and uncertainty about Jim Harbaugh's late-season decision to supplant Smith as the starter in a 45-31 rout of Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Kaepernick is quickly becoming a household name, and his touchdown celebration -- flexing his right arm and kissing his biceps -- is trending all over social media.
Tebowing? No, call it Kaepernicking.
Riding his strong legs and right arm, the 49ers (12-4-1) are back where they were a year ago and seemingly more dangerous and daring than when the eventual champion New York Giants eliminated them last January. San Francisco will play the winner of Sunday's game between Seattle and Atlanta for another chance at a Super Bowl berth.
"All the credit goes to him," said rookie running back LaMichael James, another part of the dynamic read-option run game. "When he's making that read, he knows when to give it. He knows when to pull it. He's taking off. He's faster than most people on the defense. He's doing everything for us right now."
In the air and on the ground, Kaepernick confirmed Harbaugh's much-debated move more than anybody could have imagined in 60 minutes of playoff football.
The tattoo-tattered quarterback overcame an early interception returned for a TD and ran for scores of 20 and 56 yards, topping the rushing mark of 119 yards set by Michael Vick in 2005 when Atlanta beat St. Louis. He also threw TD passes of 12 and 20 yards to go-to target Michael Crabtree, who finished with nine receptions and 119 yards in the NFC divisional matchup.
"It's been amazing and I couldn't ask for anything more," Kaepernick said.
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