Opinion: Nike Including Controversial Quarterback Kaepernick In Their Campaign

Julianne Berry-Stoelzle, Reporter

Once a star quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, now left unsigned for the last year and a half, Colin Kaepernick has been struggling because of his political views. After he lead a protest by kneeling  during the national anthem against police brutality, he found that he was no longer able to find an NFL team that would take him.

He recently signed on with Nike to be part of its Just Do It Campaign. This is a good turn of events for Kaepernick. He fits into Nike’s inspirational message of doing what you believe in. In the past Nike has done a good job of inspiring people through the stories of others, and they show no sign of stopping. Even though Nike is a main sponsor for the NFL, it decided that Kaepernick’s story is one worth spreading.

Kaepernick protested as his constitutional rights allowed before the NFL imposed any rules against it. Now, he has  had trouble getting his career back on its feet and could use all the support he can get. With the help of his new deal with Nike, Kaepernick is now spreading his own inspirational message. On September 3 he tweeted, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

This is not the first time an athlete has used their stardom for spreading a political message. There have been multiple protests lead by athletes in the past. For example, Jackie Robinson did not sing the national anthem before baseball games and multiple WNBA teams wore warm up shirts against gun violence in 2016. Why did Kaepernick essentially get kicked out when other athletes in the past did not?

After a hard year, things look better for former star Colin Kaepernick. Even though he may still be far from playing in the NFL again, he is now using his fame to help convince others that he did what he had to do. That he stood up for what he believed in. He may be a controversial figure, but he still deserves a chance to share his message.