AP

If Alex Smith feels any bitterness over losing his position as the 49ers’ starting quarterback to Colin Kaepernick, he’s not showing it.

In fact, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said today that Smith is the person who has done more than anyone to prepare Kaepernick to play, and that Smith still continues to practice every week as if he were going to play, even though his only playing time since losing his job to Kaepernick two months ago was a few garbage time snaps in Week 17.

“He’s prepared and been involved in the game planning, in preparations, he’s prepared himself as the starter each week,” Harbaugh said of Smith. “That’s what he’s done, that’s what we expect of him and that’s what he has delivered. Another person really to credit in Colin’s success because Alex has really helped coach Colin and has been right there by his side. Sitting there in meetings every single day. He coaches Colin now more than I do, and that speaks high of the kind of person and teammate that Alex Smith is.”

Through a difficult couple of months, Smith has shown himself to be a good teammate. Next season he’ll be a good teammate on some other team.