Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick stated in a recent interview and his new book, The Perilous Fight, that NFL owners intentionally kept him out of the league after he took a knee during the national anthem in 2016. Kaepernick, who last played in the NFL during the 2016 season, has long maintained that his exclusion was retaliatory, a claim the league has denied. His remarks come amid renewed discussions about his protest and its consequences.
In an appearance on The View on Monday, Kaepernick told co-hosts that his inability to secure another team after opting out of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers was due to political and power dynamics within the league. He alleged that NFL owners’ financial support for former President Donald Trump influenced their decisions regarding his employment. "I think it was political," Kaepernick said. "I also think it was power."
Kaepernick’s legal battle with the NFL concluded in 2019 with a confidential settlement, though neither side has disclosed terms. He has previously accused the league of collusion to prevent him from playing, a charge the NFL has repeatedly denied. The league has stated that Kaepernick’s football performance, rather than his activism, was the reason teams did not sign him.
The Protest and Its Aftermath
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem before a 2016 preseason game to protest police violence and racial injustice. The gesture sparked widespread debate, with some praising his stance on social issues and others criticizing it as disrespectful to the flag and military. The protest spread across the NFL, leading to league-wide policy changes, including a rule requiring players to stand for the anthem or remain in the locker room.
In his book, Kaepernick describes growing up in a predominantly white community and experiencing racism from a young age, including an incident at age 8 when older boys used a racial slur against him. He writes that he did not report the incident to his parents, fearing they would not believe him. Football, he states, became a space where he could assert his identity and find solidarity with teammates who shared similar experiences.
NFL’s Response and League Policies
The NFL has maintained that Kaepernick’s exclusion was unrelated to his protest. In 2018, then-Commissioner Roger Goodell stated that teams make personnel decisions based on football-related factors. The league also implemented a policy in 2018 that allowed players to protest during the anthem but required them to stand if they chose to be on the field. That policy was later revised in 2019 to mandate standing for all players on the field during the anthem, though it was suspended in 2020 amid renewed national conversations about racial justice.
Kaepernick’s activism extended beyond the field. He established the Know Your Rights Camp, a free education initiative for underserved youth, and has continued to advocate for social justice causes. His memoir details his journey from a biracial adoptee in Turlock, California, to a professional athlete and activist, framing his protest as part of a broader fight against systemic racism.
Owners’ Political Donations and League Dynamics
During the interview, Kaepernick highlighted what he described as the NFL’s alignment with political figures, citing donations from owners to Trump. Public records show that several NFL owners, including Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys and Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, have made political contributions to Trump. Kaepernick argued that such financial ties influenced the league’s response to his protest and subsequent employment status.
The league has not directly addressed Kaepernick’s claims about owner donations, though it has emphasized its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The NFL has pledged millions of dollars to social justice initiatives in recent years, including a $250 million commitment announced in 2020 to combat systemic racism. However, critics, including Kaepernick, have questioned the sincerity of these efforts, arguing they amount to performative gestures without substantive change.
Legal and Cultural Reckoning
Kaepernick’s case remains a touchstone in debates about athlete activism and free speech in professional sports. While he has not played in the NFL since 2016, his protest has had a lasting impact on the league’s policies and public discourse. The NFL has since hired its first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer and launched initiatives aimed at addressing racial inequality, though Kaepernick and others argue these steps fall short of addressing the root causes of systemic racism.
Kaepernick’s book and recent interviews have reignited conversations about his legacy, the NFL’s role in social issues, and the intersection of sports, politics, and race. His claims about collusion and political influence within the league continue to be a subject of contention, with no definitive resolution in sight.