Colin Kaepernick says NFL is still ‘actively blackballing’ him a decade after kneeling protest

Colin Kaepernick says the NFL is “actively blackballing” him, marking ten years since he first knelt during the national anthem to protest police brutality. He told NBC News he no longer watches the league because he believes it continues to punish him and other players who protested.

Ahead of his Sept. 15 memoir, “The Perilous Fight,” Kaepernick said he supports college football instead, saying the NFL’s public stance on racial justice remains “disingenuous.”

Colin Kaepernick Calls League’s Response Called ‘Performative’

Kaepernick criticized Commissioner Roger Goodell’s 2020 video condemning racism, calling it “performative” and driven by pressure rather than principle.

He said the league ignored players’ concerns for years, even as he continued seeking a return. He noted that despite leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl and NFC Championship, no team offered him a workout after he became a free agent in 2017.

Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid previously sued the NFL for collusion; the case settled in 2019.

Colin Kaepernick Says Teams Were Blocked From Signing Him

Kaepernick said multiple coaches and general managers told him they wanted to sign him, but league officials “shut them down from above.”

He recalled a 2017 meeting with the Seattle Seahawks where officials repeatedly questioned his political beliefs. He said something that would certainly trigger “immediate litigation” in any other workplace.

Although he no longer expects an NFL return, he continues activism through his Know Your Rights camps and civil‑rights work.

Unheard Voices reported that the Muhammad Ali Center named Kaepernick its 2026 Humanitarian of the Year for his civil rights work and community advocacy. The center said he was selected for “his courage to stand against racial injustice.” Morever, his “unwavering commitment to empowering underserved communities.”

He will accept the award in Nov.

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