Colin Kaepernick: Athlete, activist and symbol of change
Quarterback. Activist. Black sheep. These are just a few words used to describe Colin Kaepernick. The former San Francisco 49ers’ name continuously made headlines in 2020. But there’s more to Kap’s story than controversy. There’s activism, conversations about race and equality and, of course, lots of football.
Early life and background
Find out who Colin Kaepernick was before becoming a Super Bowl starting quarterback and human rights activist.
Family background and childhood
Colin Rand Kaepernick was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Nov. 3, 1987. His biological parents are Heidi Russo, a white woman, and a Black man who broke contact with Russo as soon as he learned she was expecting. Russo spent most of her pregnancy going back and forth about whether or not to put the baby up for adoption. However, when a mutual friend introduced her to Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, the decision was clear: she would allow them to raise her child as their own.
When he was five weeks old, Colin was adopted, officially becoming a Kaepernick. Though seeing a little Black boy out and about with white parents and siblings prompted stares from strangers or curious comments from his classmates, their discomfort with the interracial family did not phase young Colin.
A 2010 interview with The New York Times says that Kaepernick laughed when people told him Rick and Teresa couldn’t be his parents. He used brown crayons to depict himself in his family portraits and yellow ones for his parents and siblings.
The comfort and security young Kaepernick felt was probably the result of his parents’ willingness to talk to him about his adoption and skin color. “We pointed it out as a positive, and he saw his difference and was comfortable with it,” his mother told the NYT.
High school years and athletic development
It became clear early on that Kaepernick was a gifted athlete. After his family moved to California, Kaepernick joined a youth football league, and, at 8 years old, played as a defensive end and punter. The next year of youth football, Kaepernick tried a different position: quarterback. His first pass went for a long touchdown, shocking the entire crowd of spectators and beginning Kaepernick’s path to becoming a professional athlete.
Kaepernick fell in love with football during his youth football league years and began planning a future centered around it. Around that time, he wrote a letter to himself, and one line read, “I hope I go to a good college in football, then go to the pros and play on the Niners or the Packers — even if they aren’t good in seven years.”
As Kaepernick aged, his athletic abilities became even more impressive. He was a multisport athlete at John H. Pitman High, the school he attended in Turlock, California. Kaepernick excelled in football, basketball and baseball — as a star baseball player, he developed a 94-mile-per-hour fastball — but the former was the game he loved most.
Embracing his identity as a Black man
Meanwhile, while his athleticism was increasing, his comfort with his identity was decreasing. Kaepernick identified as a Black man, but living with a white family in a predominantly white community made it difficult for him to find ways to embrace his Blackness.
Fortunately, he had role models he could look to. In a 2023 interview with NPR, Kaepernick recalls his teenage years, noting:
“This was the era of Allen Iverson, a cultural phenom…I saw him be so unapologetically Black and unapologetically himself. It was something I aspired to, and I looked at that as an opportunity for me to be able to really take hold of my Blackness and do it in a way that I was proud of and I was excited about.”
Thanks to the excitement that AI sparked in him, at 15 years old, Kaepernick decided to get cornrows. To some, a hairstyle change isn’t a big deal. But to Kaepernick, it was a milestone moment.
“This was it, I knew it,” he wrote of the moment in his graphic novel, “The beginning of a new journey. I would be a new person. I could see it all now, the path laid before me…”
People Kaepernick knew, many of whom avidly embraced Eurocentric beauty standards, didn’t understand his hair and desire to connect with his Blackness. There was negative pushback, he told NPR, but he learned how to defend his choices to his family, community and coaches.
College career at the University of Nevada
Despite being a first-team All-District, All-Conference and All-Academic selection, major college football programs didn’t want to take a chance on Kaepernick. Scouts thought that, while he had quite an arm, he had a poor throwing motion. Plus, he was tall and skinny — six-foot-four and 170 pounds — and they feared he would get hurt.
According to Kaepernick, if he hoped to play ball professionally, his most obvious and practical path was baseball. The athlete told NPR in 2023:
“I [had] multiple offers. I had the MLB come and sit down in my living room and tell me they wanted to draft me. There was an obvious career path there. And I had not a single offer for football at this point, but it was what I loved and what I wanted to do. I made the decision that that’s what I was going to chase in spite of everyone else telling me I should go a different direction.”
So, despite the naysayers and the lack of interest in him as a footballer, Kaepernick remained determined to make it work on the gridiron. His brother, Kyle, copied Kaepernick’s high school highlight reel onto 200 DVDs and sent them to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) universities. Still, no one showed interest in having Kaepernick on their team until he attended a University of Nevada Reno camp.
Nevada Coach Chris Ault noticed that Kaepernick, one of 18 other quarterbacks there, stood out for several reasons. One was his strength and poor throwing motion — the same critique other scouts noticed. The other, Ault told the NYT, was a “dynamic that most college quarterbacks don’t have: he runs.”
Nevada became the only FBS team to offer Kaepernick a football scholarship, inviting him to join the team as a free safety in 2007. However, in the fifth game of his freshman season, Kaepernick stepped in to play QB when the Wolf Pack’s starter went out with an injury. From that day on, the starting QB position belonged to Kaepernick.
Professional football career
The Milwaukee native’s performance at Nevada solidified his reputation as a star, practically guaranteeing that he’d be an early-round NFL draft pick and earning him numerous FBS records and accolades, including:
- Becoming the first player in college football history to pass for 10,000 yards and rush for 4,000 yards
- Becoming the only player with three seasons of at least 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards
- Becoming one of eight players to score 20 rushing touchdowns and pass for 20 touchdowns in the same season
- Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2010
Besides boosting his reputation, Kaepernick’s tenure on the Nevada Wolf Pack took the program to new heights. Nevada Sports Net reports that Nevada went 32-16 in Kaepernick’s 48 career starts — that’s a winning percentage of 66.7%. In the 237 games Nevada played from 2000 to the time of the report’s release in 2023, the team only had a 47.3% winning percentage, almost 20% lower than it was with Kaepernick leading the charge.
Given his impressive college career, Colin Kaepernick and the NFL seemed like an obvious match. Here’s a rundown of his career in the big leagues.
Draft and entry into the NFL
Kaepernick was selected by the San Francisco 49ers as the fourth pick in round two of the 2011 NFL Draft. He was the 36th overall pick that year.
He was the sixth QB taken that year — another noteworthy one from that draft class was Carolina Panthers legend Cam Newton. Kaepernick and Newton wouldn’t go on to be the only impressive players from the 2011 draft. Other standout players entering the league that year included Jason Kelce and J.J. Watt.
Notable seasons: 2011 and 2012
Kap’s rookie season in 2011 wasn’t necessarily one for the books. He spent that time as a backup QB to Alex Smith, only touching the field in three games and attempting just five passes.
In 2012, however, the tides started to turn for Kaepernick. When a concussion forced the 49ers’ longtime starting QB, Smith, to sit out in week 10 of the season, Kap was thrown into the game. His performance was so impressive that when Smith was cleared to return to the game in week 13, head coach Jim Harbaugh decided to leave Kaepernick as a starter.
With Kaepernick as QB, the 49ers finished the regular season with an 11-4-1 record and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years.
Super Bowl appearance and performance
Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 was Kaepernick’s first and only appearance in the popular football game. Played at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, the game put the 49ers toe-to-toe with the Baltimore Ravens and pitted the 49ers head coach, Jim Harbough, against his brother, Ravens head coach John Harbough.
The game was nicknamed the “Har-bowl” after the dueling head coaches and was ultimately a good one for the young QB. Kaepernick finished the game with a passer rating of 91.7 with 302 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
In the fourth quarter, he even set a Super Bowl record for the longest rushing touchdown from a quarterback. His 15-yard touchdown run beat the previous six-yard record that 49ers QB Joe Montana set in 1984’s Super Bowl XIX.
Despite Kaepernick’s solid performance, he and the 49ers fell to the Ravens 34 to 31, marking San Francisco’s first-ever Super Bowl loss.
Activism and social justice
Kaepernick made a name for himself during his college and professional careers, thanks to his athletic abilities. However, it wasn’t until 2016, when he first began his public protests, that even non-sports fans would learn Kaepernick’s name.
Protests during the national anthem and the impact of his actions on national dialogue
Leading up to the 2016 football season, Kaepernick’s social media profiles were filled with commentary on the fatal police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the police shooting of Charles Kinsey and the acquittal of police in the death of Freddie Gray.
His activism went from screen to sideline during a preseason game that year when, rather than joining the masses in standing for the national anthem, Kap sat. The simple act was a protest against police brutality and social injustice, especially in incidents concerning Black Americans.
Kaepernick’s refusal to stand for The Star-Spangled Banner continued, only the gesture evolved from remaining seated to taking a knee. He told reporter Steve Wyche:
“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.”
It didn’t take long for other players to notice what the quarterback was doing. One of his teammates, Eric Reid, joined him in kneeling, and throughout the season, NFL players on other teams, plus athletes in other sports, followed suit.
Reactions from the public and sports community
Opinions on Kaepernick’s protests were divided. Some, including his teammate, Antoine Bethea, supported him, calling his actions “vulnerable” and “powerful.” Bethea stated, “Throughout neighborhoods across America, in corporate offices, in sports leagues, everywhere, he sparked conversations that needed to be had.”
TIME Magazine featured a kneeling Kaepernick on its cover in October 2016, with an accompanying story about how his actions fuel a debate about privilege, pride and patriotism. Even then-President Barack Obama caught wind of Kaepernick’s protests and defended his “constitutional right to make a statement.”
Others, on the other hand, thought Kaepernick’s behavior was disrespectful and called for his termination from the League. One of his most outspoken opposers was 2016 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who suggested Kap “find a country that works better for him.”
Unmoved by the negative pushback, Kaepernick continued his protests throughout the 2016 season. When the 49ers wrapped up their 2-14 season, Kaepernick chose to become a free agent. However, when no other team offered to sign him, he filed a formal grievance accusing team owners of colluding to keep him out of the league.
By 2019, Kaepernick had settled with the NFL. His grievance, which claimed that they were retaliating against him for calling out racial inequality in the U.S., was settled.
Contributions beyond football
Since leaving the San Francisco 49ers, Kaepernick has made several attempts to get back on the field. First, there was the private workout in November 2019. Representatives from all 32 NFL teams were invited to attend, but only eight showed.
A few years later, in 2022, rumors began flying. Word on the street was that Colin Kaepernick could be the Raiders’ perfect fit as a backup QB to starter Derek Carr. However, despite having a workout with the team, nothing ultimately came of it.
His most recent attempt at getting back in the game was in September 2023. New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury, and Kaepernick wrote a letter offering to join the team’s practice squad. The Jets went with Trevor Siemian instead.
In August 2024, there were rumblings surrounding Colin Kaepernick and the Chargers. Jim Harbough, former 49ers head coach and current head coach of the L.A. Chargers, admitted he reached out to his former player about joining the coaching staff. But, Harbough went on, if that did happen, it wouldn’t be until the following season at the earliest.
Though people still speculate about how, if and when Kaepernick will return to football, he has yet to confirm anything about his plans with the game. He hasn’t been on a team roster since 2017, leaving him plenty of time to branch out to other areas, from authorship to brand deals to documentaries.
Authorship and literary works
Kaepernick has penned two children’s books, one called “I Color Myself Different” (2022) and another called “We Are Free, You & Me” (2024), written with his wife, Nessa Diab. He also wrote a graphic novel called “Change the Game” that was released in 2023 and edited a book of essays calling for a world beyond prisons and policing called “Abolition for the People” (2021).
In addition to working as an author himself, Kaepernick works with other writers through Kaepernick Publishing, the company he founded in 2019 to elevate diverse views and voices.
Collaborations with brands
While many athletes lose brand deals amid controversy, the opposite happened to Kaepernick. Because of his commitment to social justice, several big names, including Nike and Ben & Jerry’s, have partnered with the former quarterback to fight the good fight.
Nike x Colin Kaepernick
Kaepernick already had a deal with Nike, but that was set to expire around the time his NFL protests began. Rather than cutting ties with the athlete, Nike opted to renegotiate his contract into a multiyear deal and make him one of the faces of the 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign.
Nike launched a Colin Kaepernick apparel line and signature shoe, donating proceeds from sales to his charity, Know Your Rights Camp (KYRC). His face was plastered across billboards, online ads and an Emmy Award-winning television commercial.
Nike’s decision to stand by Kaepernick was met with mixed reactions. While some decided to boycott the company, others pledged their allegiance to Nike. Their support of Nike and Kaepernick caused the company’s stock to surge days after its release. Two weeks after Kap’s campaign debuted, Nike’s value had increased by more than $6 billion.
Ben & Jerry’s Colin Kaepernick’s Change the Whirled
Ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s first approached Kap in 2018. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t right for a collaboration to come to fruition. When the Vermont-born brand tried again to work with the activist-athlete in late 2020, time was in their favor. Ben & Jerry’s launched a limited-edition flavor, Change the Whirled, in his honor.
All proceeds from sales of the cookie-and-caramel-flavored ice cream went to KYRC, aiding the organization’s efforts to empower and educate Black youth across America.
Involvement in filmmaking
Kaepernick added “executive producer” to his resume. He collaborated with filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Ava DuVernay to create a series about his teenage years and the experiences that led him to become an activist. The limited series, called “Colin in Black & White,” premiered on Netflix in 2021.
He also joined forces with director Spike Lee to create a documentary about his experiences. A report from September 2024 says that Kaepernick and Lee are nearly finished with the project and could soon be shopping around for a platform to release it on.
Kaepernick’s other film credits include executive producing “Killing County,” a 2023 docuseries that explores several controversial deaths involving law enforcement officers in California’s Kern County.
Legacy as an activist
Though Kaepernick’s impact on sports and social justice began on the field, his efforts have expanded beyond the gridiron. His bold stance sparked national conversations, and despite the immense backlash and professional consequences, he has continued to challenge systemic oppression through his books, documentaries and his charity, KYRC.
Kaepernick is regarded by many as a symbol of courage and justice, and he and his efforts continue to impact the fight for equality.
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