Colin Kaepernick scored another win today as the former 49ers quarterback was named the face of Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ campaign which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018
Darren Rovell of ESPN was the first to report Nike’s decision to go with the polarizing Kaepernick who went public with his 2016 National Anthem protest against police brutality.
Via Bleacher Report:
“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” he told Steve Wyche of NFL Media about the decision two years ago. “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’s Anthem Protest continue to be a contentious issues in the NFL and around the Country. According to a poll released by released by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal last week, 54 percent of respondents believed that kneeling during the anthem “inappropriate”. On the other hand 43 percent of those who responded called the protest “appropriate.” Meanwhile the NFL and the NFLPA continue to try to hammer out an agreement over the League’s Anthem policy after owners approved a rule back in May that would force players to either stay in the locker room or stand during the National Anthem.
As far as Kaepnernick goes, the 30-year-old QB has been out of the League after he opted out of his contract with the 49ers back in 2017. Since then, Kaepernick has had very limited opportunity in the NFL which prompted him to file a collusion grievance against the League which received a small victory last week when arbitrator Stephen B. Burbank ruled that there was enough evidence to proceed to a full hearing.
