Colin Kaepernick reflects on 10 years since NFL protest
Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick gives his first interview to BBC Sport, reflecting on the 10th anniversary of his national anthem protest in September 2016.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Colin Kaepernick speaks to BBC Sport in his first major interview a decade after his protest.
- The former NFL star insists he has no regrets despite losing his professional career.
- He criticizes the separation of sports and politics as hypocritical given their deep ties.
Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL star whose silent protest catapulted him to global attention, has opened up in his first-ever interview with BBC Sport, marking a decade since the historic gesture that changed the trajectory of his life and career. In September 2016, Kaepernick knelt during the United States national anthem ahead of a pre-season game to peacefully protest racial injustice and police brutality.
The act sparked fierce polarization worldwide, drawing both profound admiration and heavy condemnation. Looking back at the fallout that effectively ended his time in professional football, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback maintains that he harbors no regrets about his decision.
"I knew the protest could potentially cost my career... I would absolutely do it again."
Colin Kaepernick
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Despite opting out of his contract in March 2017 and subsequently filing a grievance against NFL team owners that resulted in a 2019 financial settlement, Kaepernick never found another team. However, he expressed immense pride upon seeing athletes globally, including English football players, adopt the knee gesture to stand against systemic racism, particularly following the 2020 murder of George Floyd.
Kaepernick's silent protest remains one of the most defining intersections of modern sports and civil rights activism. While sports organizations and political figures have frequently attempted to curb athlete-led activism over the years, Kaepernick's legacy underscores how athletic platforms inevitably intersect with broader socio-political struggles, sparking enduring global conversations about equality.
Addressing critics who argue that sports and politics should remain entirely separate entities, Kaepernick dismissed the notion as fundamentally hypocritical. He pointed out structural realities within the industry, such as public taxpayer funding for NFL stadiums and team owners actively supporting political candidates, proving that politics is inherently woven into the fabric of sports.
Source: BBC Sport
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