Ten Years After Kneeling, Colin Kaepernick Opens Up About Protest, NFL Boycott, and New Memoir

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is revisiting the protest that defined — and effectively ended — his NFL career, marking a decade since he first knelt during the national anthem in 2016 to draw attention to police brutality and racial injustice.

In a wide-ranging interview with NBC News, conducted ahead of the release of his forthcoming memoir, “The Perilous Fight,” Kaepernick addressed the misconceptions that surrounded his protest at the time and the professional fallout that followed. He acknowledged that while the national conversation has shifted since 2016 — particularly after the 2020 murder of George Floyd — he believes substantial work remains unfinished.

One of the most striking revelations from the interview: Kaepernick says he has not watched a single NFL game since his protest. “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,” he said, noting instead that he follows college football.

Fatherhood Adds Urgency

Kaepernick, who shares a 4-year-old daughter with partner Nessa, said becoming a parent has deepened his commitment to the cause. He explained that he does not want his daughter or his community to conclude that activism comes at an unacceptable personal cost.

“I don’t want my community to watch me and have the takeaway be that if you fight for Black folks, it’s over for you,” he writes in the book. Fatherhood, he said, “increases the responsibility and urgency of the work we’re doing.”

Media Context

The interview aired on NBC News, part of the NBCUniversal portfolio under Comcast Corporation (CMCSA). Comcast shares traded at $26.65 in recent action, down roughly 0.04% from the prior close of $26.66, valuing the telecom and media conglomerate at approximately $94.4 billion. The company operates across connectivity, media, studios, and theme parks, making its news division a frequent venue for high-profile sports and culture interviews — including coverage of figures like Kaepernick, whose protest intersected directly with league media partners.

Kaepernick has remained active in advocacy work beyond the memoir. Recent reporting has covered his involvement in seeking an independent review of the death of a Black student found hanging from a tree, and he previously wrote to the New York Jets stating he had continued training in pursuit of an NFL return.

What to watch

• Release and promotion of “The Perilous Fight,” which may generate additional interviews and public commentary.
• Any NFL response or renewed discussion of Kaepernick’s league status during the current season.
• Ongoing advocacy initiatives referenced in the memoir and associated media appearances.

Source: original release