Colin Kaepernick: From kneeling NFL player to face of the new Nike advert, how has he become a political force?

Georgia Chambers6 September 2018

Colin Kaepernick being named as the new face of Nike has sparked both joy and controversy across the globe.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has continued to spark widespread debate since he first knelt during the national anthem in protest of police violence against African Americans.

Now, Kaepernick has been unveiled as the face of Nike's new "Just Do It" campaign to mark the sporting brand's 20th anniversary.

It's a bold move from both Nike and Kaepernick, who opted out of his contract with the 49ers in March 2017.

Thousands of people have come out in support of Kaepernick, including Serena Williams, who praised him for doing "so much...for the greater good."

However, some people are angry over the sportswear giant's choice to use quarterback as their cover star, even going as far as to film themselves burning Nike clothing.

But how did Colin Kaepernick go from a football player to a political force? Here's everything you need to know:

When did Colin Kaepernick begin his sporting career?

Colin Kaepernick 
Scott Cunningham/Getty Images

Kaepernick won a scholarship to play football at the University of Nevada whilst studying for a degree in business management.

He joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 as their quarterback, leading them to the Super Bowl in 2013.

Whilst playing football, he continued his studies at the University of California, Berkeley, furthering his interests in African American studies.

When did Colin Kaepernick first kneel?

Colin Kaepernick was a driving force behing the NFL kneeling protests 
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Before kneeling became his signature form of protest, Kaepernick sat during the 49ers third preseason game on August 14, 2016, although he was not in uniform.

His protest went virtually unnoticed until a photo of players during the national anthem emerged on Twitter.

With media conspiracies swirling, the 49ers released a statement later that night confirming Kaepernick sat for the anthem.

He told reporters of his decision: "I'm going to continue to stand with the people that are being oppressed. To me, this is something that has to change.

controversial American football star Colin Kaepernick is the new face of Nike
AP

"When there's significant change and I feel that flag represents what it's supposed to represent, and this country is representing people the way that it's supposed to, I'll stand."

Kaepernick later adapted his sitting pose to a kneel so not to risk seeming un-American or anti-military.

He said: "We were talking to [former NFL long snapper Nate Boyer] about how we can get the message back on track and not take away from the military, not take away from fighting for our country, but keep focus on what the issues really are. And as we talked about it, we came up with taking a knee. Because there are issues that still need to be addressed and it was also a way to show more respect to the men and women who fight for this country."

Eventually, dozens of other NFL players began to join Kaepernick in his protests, such as Jeremy Lane of Seattle Seahawkes and four Miami Dolphin players, with others sharing their messages of support.

How did Barack Obama and Donald Trump respond?

Donald Trump has accused China of hacking Hillary Clinton's emails
REUTERS

Barack Obama and Donald Trump have rather opposing views on Kaepernick's protest.

When Kaepernick first knelt, Barack Obama was still in office.

The former US president said of Kaepernick's protest: “There are gonna be a lot of folks who do stuff we don’t agree with…but as long as they’re doing it within the law, then we can voice our opinion objecting to it, but it’s also their right."

President Trump adopted a more firm stance however, voicing his views at a rally in September 2017: "We're proud of our country, we respect our flag," he said.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of those NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a b***h off the field right now, out, he's fired. He's fired."

When did Kaepernick leave the San Francisco 49ers?

Colin Kaepernick: The quaterback has been named as the face of a new Nike advertisement campaign
USA Today Sports/Reuters

Kaepernick decided to opt-out of his contract with his former team in 2017, making him a free agent.

The same year, he filed a grievance against the NFL, alleging the league conspired to keep him out because of his protests.

Why are people upset over his Nike campaign?

Despite Nike's long-standing relationship with NFL, the brand also has a reputation for showcasing African-American athletes, including Serena Williams and LeBron James.

The main arguments against protests during the national anthem is that they are unpatriotic and disrespectful to those who have served in the military.

The latest campaign featuring Kaepernick and the words: "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything," was enough to make it clear to some what side of the fence Nike is perching on.

Angry Twitter users have filmed themselves burning Nike clothing as their own form of protest.

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