Entertainment
Colin Kaepernick's anthem protest continues to influence sports and activism a decade later
Ten years after the former 49ers quarterback first knelt during the national anthem, his NFL exile remains a point of debate while his social justice work continues.
The short version
- Colin Kaepernick first knelt during the national anthem on September 1, 2016, to protest police brutality and racial injustice, shifting from sitting after consulting with a retired Green Beret.
- The demonstration sparked intense public backlash, political opposition, and accusations of disrespect toward the military, overshadowing his intended message.
- Kaepernick played his final NFL game in late 2016 and never signed with another team, later settling a collusion lawsuit against the league in 2019.
- While his football career ended, Kaepernick has maintained his activism through his foundation, funding independent autopsies and youth empowerment camps.
Key facts
- Colin Kaepernick first knelt during the national anthem before a San Francisco 49ers preseason game on September 1, 2016, to draw attention to racial injustice, minority oppression, and police brutality.[Associated Press]
- The gesture of kneeling, rather than sitting on the bench as he had done in previous preseason games, was suggested by retired Green Beret and former NFL player Nate Boyer to show more respect to the military.[Associated Press]
- Kaepernick played his final NFL game in December 2016, opted out of his contract in early 2017 to become a free agent, and was never signed by another team.[Associated Press]
- In 2019, Kaepernick and former teammate Eric Reid settled a lawsuit against the NFL that accused league owners of colluding to keep them out of the sport.[Associated Press]
- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged in 2020 that the league had made a mistake by failing to listen to players who were protesting for social equality.[Associated Press]
- Kaepernick continues his advocacy alongside his wife, Nessa, through initiatives like "Know Your Rights" camps and foundation-funded independent autopsies.[Associated Press]
What remains uncertain
- The precise reasons why NFL teams repeatedly bypassed Kaepernick despite his prior success remain a subject of debate, with analysts pointing to his activism and team owners' discomfort, while players like Cam Heyward question why lesser-performing quarterbacks received opportunities over him.[Associated Press]