Kaepernick

Colin Rand Kaepernick (born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Nevada, Reno, where he set school records as a dual‑threat quarterback before being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. After spending his rookie season as a backup, Kaepernick became the 49ers' starting quarterback in 2012 and led the team to Super Bowl XLVII, which the 49ers lost to the Baltimore Ravens. He remained with San Francisco through the 2016 season, after which he did not secure a continuation with an NFL team and has not played in the league since.

Kaepernick is widely known for his social activism, particularly for kneeling during the national anthem before NFL games beginning in 2016 to protest racial injustice and police brutality. His protest sparked extensive public discussion about patriotism, activism, and the treatment of people of color in the United States, and he has continued to advocate for civil rights and social justice. He has supported charitable and educational initiatives, including Know Your Rights Camp, which provides education and resources to empower underrepresented communities. In 2017 he was named to Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people.

He and the NFL reached a confidential settlement of a grievance regarding competitive collusion to keep him from playing in 2019, after which he has remained an active figure in discussions around sport and activism. Since leaving the NFL, Kaepernick has continued public engagement on issues related to racial equality and criminal justice reform.