The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick says the NFL is still “actively blackballing” him, a decade after his 2016 protest. The 38-year-old was pushed out of the NFL after he began kneeling during the national anthem. His protest was aimed at highlighting police brutality and racial injustice.
Colin Kaepernick says the NFL is still ‘actively blackballing’ him 10 years after his kneeling protest
During a September 1 interview with NBC News, Kaepernick said the NFL continues to exclude him from the league. He said, “I’m not gonna support an organization that, one, is actively blackballing me, but two, has targeted my brothers who have been protesting as part of this as well.” Kaepernick, who led the 49ers to the Super Bowl after the 2012 season, prefers to watch the college game instead.
During the 2016 preseason, Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid knelt during the national anthem. The protest drew widespread criticism from fans, NFL executives, and politicians who viewed it as disrespectful to the American flag and country.
Speaking to NFL Network at the time, Kaepernick said, as quoted by Reuters, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
Kaepernick and Reid later filed a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging collusion. The case was settled in 2019. Since then, Kaepernick has focused on initiatives such as Know Your Rights Camp, which works to empower Black and Brown communities through education and activism.
Explaining to NBC about his football legacy, Kaepernick said he does not think much about his legacy. Instead, he focuses on areas where he can make an impact and help move society toward a better future. He added that people will ultimately decide what his legacy will be and hopes it will be a positive one.
