Ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick began his kneeling protest 10 years ago - where is he now?
Kaepernick kneeling 10-year anniversary
Ten years after taking a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s gesture remains a defining moment in sports and history.
Colin Kaepernick was a rising star in the NFL when he became the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers in 2012.
Kaepernick was a dynamic playmaker who torched opposing defenses with his passing and running. The former University of Nevada standout’s meteoric rise culminated with helping lead the Niners to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013.
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Yet, with all his on-field accolades, Kaepernick became a polarizing figure nationally with one seminal moment when he took a knee ahead of a 49ers preseason game 10 years ago to protest police brutality against people of color and racial injustice.
Here’s a look back at Kaepernick’s protest and where he is now.
When did Kaepernick begin kneeling during the national anthem?
The backstory:
Colin Kaepernick started his first protest on Aug. 14, 2016, before a San Francisco 49ers preseason game that he was not in uniform for. He sat on the bench for the second game on Aug. 20.
And before kickoff for the team’s third preseason game on Aug. 26, the quarterback once again sat on the bench and his gesture was noticed.
FILE-Eric Reid #35 and Colin Kaepernick #7 of the San Francisco 49ers kneel on the sideline during the anthem, as free agent Nate Boyer stands, prior to the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on September 1, 2016 in San Diego, Ca
What they're saying:
Kaepernick addressed why he sat during the national anthem and told NFL Media in an exclusive interview after the game, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. 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."
And the nation began paying attention to Kaepernick when, on Sept. 1, 2016, for the 49ers' final preseason game against the San Diego Chargers, he transitioned from sitting to kneeling on one knee, and he was joined by his teammate Eric Reid. Kaepernick modified his manner of protest on the advice of former military Green Beret Nate Boyer to show deference to military members while continuing his activism.
During the game in San Diego, Kaepernick was booed throughout the contest by Chargers fans, and his protest started to gain attention across the country.
Kaepernick played 11 games for the Niners in 2016 but opted out of his contract after the 2017 season and never landed another opportunity with an NFL team, as skepticism grew that he was being blackballed by NFL owners, who presumably didn’t want the attention that signing him would bring to their franchise.
Over the next year, several NFL players and teams started protests by sitting, kneeling and raising their fists in protest, ostensibly in solidarity with Kaepernick, and this spurred mixed reactions and criticism from fans, current and former NFL players, coaches, general managers and owners, and then President Donald Trump, who condemned the protests.
The NFL later instituted a policy in 2018 mandating that NFL players who are on the field stand for the national anthem.
Kaepernick and Reid later filed collusion grievances against the NFL alleging they were blackballed. Kaepernick and Reid later reached a settlement with the league in 2019.
Where is Colin Kaepernick now?
Big picture view:
Colin Kaepernick continues his activism for social justice following his NFL career, using his platform to create awareness for issues affecting marginalized people and communities.
He is releasing a new book scheduled for release on Sept. 15 called "The Perilous Fight," a memoir about his upbringing, football career, and the 10-year anniversary of his protest.
Through the years, the former NFL player has written and edited various literary works, including "Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game," "I Color Myself Different," "We Are Free, You & Me," and "Our History Has Always Been Contraband," according to his website.
Colin Kaepernick's memoir "The Perilous Fight" releases on Sept. 15, 2026. (Photo courtesy of Grand Central & Legacy Lit)
Recently, Kaepernick made headlines for paying for an independent autopsy to investigate the death of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old Black man who traveled to an island off the coast of Mississippi on July 4, 2026, with a group of friends, who later returned to the mainland without him. Wells’ body was found two days later floating off the island's coast.
Kaepernick also received a new award on July 25, 2026, from the American Civil Liberties Union recognizing contributions to American thought and culture, The Associated Press reported.
In 2015, Kaepernick and his wife Nessa Diab founded the Know Your Rights Camp, a free educational campaign with a mission "to advance the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities through education, self-empowerment, mass-mobilization and the creation of new systems that elevate the next generation of change leaders," according to its website.
His life was also the subject of a Netflix six-episode series released in 2021 called "Colin in Black and White, a coming-of-age story about Kaepernick and his upbringing navigating the challenges of race, class and culture, with the former NFL player serving as the narrator.
Kaepernick receiving humanitarian award
Local perspective:
Later this year, Colin Kaepernick will receive the Muhammad Ali Center’s Humanitarian of the Year Award. The center cited Kaepernick's advocacy against racial injustice and his Know Your Rights Camp philanthropic efforts.
"Colin has used his platform to advocate for equality, human dignity, and social change, even when doing so came at significant personal and professional cost," said Lonnie Ali, Muhammad’s late wife and co-founder of the center.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, The Washington Post, FOX News, and Kapernickpublishing.com. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.