Full Breakdown
Colin Kaepernick Says the NFL Is Still Blackballing Him Ten Years After His Protest
9/2/2026, 3:55:00 AM
Core Event: Claim of Ongoing Blackballing
Kaepernick says he no longer watches NFL games and now follows college football. He reiterated the claim in a recent NBC interview as he prepares to release his memoir *The Perilous Fight*.
Background & Context
Kaepernick’s protest began after the December 2, 2015 police shooting of Mario Woods in San Francisco. He first sat during the national anthem on August 14, 2016, at a preseason game against the Houston Texans, and later switched to kneeling after a conversation with former Army Green Beret Nate Boyer, debuting the gesture on September 1, 2016, against the San Diego Chargers.
He opted out of his 49ers contract in March 2017 and filed a collusion grievance in October 2017. The league settled in early 2019 for an undisclosed amount reported as “less than $10 million” for both Kaepernick and teammate Eric Reid. Subsequent workouts—including a league-organized session in 2019 that Kaepernick canceled over a liability waiver, an independent high-school workout attended by a handful of teams, and a 2022 Raiders workout described as “a disaster”—did not lead to a contract.
Timeline
- December 2, 2015 – Police shooting of Mario Woods (catalyst).
- August 14, 2016 – First seated protest (Houston Texans).
- August 26, 2016 – Seated protest gains viral attention (Green Bay Packers).
- September 1, 2016 – First kneel (San Diego Chargers).
- March 2017 – Opts out of 49ers contract.
- October 2017 – Files collusion grievance.
- Early 2019 – Settlement reached (undisclosed sum < $10 M).
- 2022 – Raiders workout described as “a disaster.”
- 2026 – NBC interview reiterating blackball claim; memoir release scheduled.
Data & Statistics
- Six NFL seasons, over 10,000 passing yards and 50 touchdowns.
- Holds the single-game playoff rushing record for a quarterback (181 yards).
- 2019 workout invitation involved all 32 teams; only a few sent representatives to the independent session.
- NFL’s Inspire Change program, launched in 2019, has contributed more than $575 million to community organizations.
Official Statements & Responses
*League perspective.* Commissioner Roger Goodell has said roster decisions are made by individual clubs. “Each team makes individual decisions about how they can improve their team,” Goodell told reporters in 2020.
*Kaepernick’s response.* He called the league’s 2020 video condemning racism “only because of pressure from players, not because it was altruistic,” and added that the NFL “has not materially changed” and its messaging is “performative.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The exact number of teams that attended the 2019 independent workout varies across accounts.
- Settlement terms remain undisclosed; only the total “less than $10 million” figure is known.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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,” — Colin Kaepernick
- “His response through that video was only because of pressure from players, not because it was altruistic,” — Colin Kaepernick
- “It’s the same thing I said before, which is each team makes individual decisions about how they can improve their team.” — Roger Goodell
- “There’s not a definitive moment that I would point to,” — Colin Kaepernick
What’s Next
*The Perilous Fight* memoir will be released in September 2026, accompanied by a national speaking tour. Kaepernick is also slated to receive the Muhammad Ali Center’s Humanitarian of the Year Award later in the year, recognizing his continued activism and community work.
