Kaepernick Says NFL Still Blackballs Him 10 Years After 2016 Kneeling Protest

Q: Why does Colin Kaepernick still train daily for an NFL comeback while refusing to watch a single game?

Colin Kaepernick says he still trains every day because he has not given up on playing and wants to remain ready if an NFL opportunity ever comes. In recent interviews, he said football was the product of years of work and dedication, and that he does not want anyone to think that speaking up for his community meant the fight — or his career ambitions — had to end. He has continued early-morning workouts and says he prepares as if a comeback is still possible. At the same time, he says he refuses to watch NFL games because he does not want to support a league he believes shut him out after his 2016 protest against police brutality and racial inequality. Kaepernick has said he believes the NFL is still “actively blackballing” him and that the league also targeted other players who protested. For that reason, he says, he has not watched an NFL game since leaving the league. That does not mean he has disconnected from the sport entirely. Kaepernick has said he still follows quarterback statistics and league developments so he can stay informed about roster situations and so his agent knows where possible openings might exist. He has also said he watches college football. The split reflects his larger position: he still wants to compete, but he does not want to endorse the NFL’s public image efforts, which he has described as performative rather than meaningful change.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 1

Ten years after his 2016 anthem protest began, Colin Kaepernick told NBC News the NFL is still "actively blackballing" him and said he will not support the league.
Kaepernick said no team signed him after he became a free agent in 2017 despite his Super Bowl run and playoff records, and claimed some coaches and GMs wanted him but were overruled.
His collusion grievance against the NFL ended in a 2019 settlement with Eric Reid worth less than $10 million total, and a league-arranged workout that year collapsed over a waiver dispute.
The NFL rejected his broader claim that it has not materially changed, saying issues raised by Kaepernick still matter and citing more than $575 million in Inspire Change contributions since 2017.
Now 38, Kaepernick said he still trains for a possible return while promoting his memoir "The Perilous Fight" and preparing to receive the Muhammad Ali Center's Humanitarian of the Year award on Nov. 7.