With the 2026 NFL season just around the corner, Colin Kaepernick is once again making headlines—not for his play on the field, but for his enduring impact off it. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who hasn't taken an NFL snap since 2016, has been named the Muhammad Ali Center's Humanitarian of the Year, and the honor has sparked fresh praise from one of sports journalism's most respected voices.
In a recent column, The Athletic's Jerry Brewer argued that Kaepernick "stands taller" than his fellow pro athlete activists. Brewer's commentary comes after Kaepernick's decade-long exile from the league, a period that has only solidified his legacy as a pioneer of athlete activism.
"In modern athlete activism, Kaepernick stands alone. He is far from beloved but his stance is aging well," Brewer wrote. "The prominent athletes of the past 10 years have mishandled what they should've treated as a precious legacy. With their conceit, the clout chasers have turned his courage into a template without asking what made the original worth copying."
Kaepernick's NFL career was brief but spectacular. From 2011 to 2016, he threw for 12,271 yards, rushed for 2,300 more, and accounted for 85 total touchdowns. His 2012 season was particularly electric, leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl and setting a single-game playoff record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 181 in the NFC Divisional Round.
But it was his decision to kneel during the national anthem in 2016—a protest against racial injustice and police brutality—that changed everything. The protest sparked a firestorm, and Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since. He's remained in the spotlight, however, often seen courtside at WNBA games and staying in shape, ready for a call that may never come.
Despite the personal cost, Kaepernick has no regrets. "Thinking about whether or not it's worth it: if even one life was saved, one life was advanced, it'll be worth it every day of the week," he said. "I think that's incredibly important as we think about our future. We have to be able to do whatever it takes to make sure that we're advancing our communities, advancing our students, and making sure that we are setting each other up for success in the future."
Brewer's column draws a sharp contrast between Kaepernick's principled stance and the actions of other athletes who have waded into activism. He suggests that many have chased attention rather than substantive change, diluting the power of protest. This critique arrives amid ongoing debates about athlete activism, from Alex Morgan's stance on transgender athlete policies to the WNBA commissioner's comments on the issue.
Kaepernick's influence remains undeniable, even as his playing days appear over. He's become a symbol of sacrifice and conviction, a figure who risked everything for his beliefs. While some may question his methods, Brewer argues that history will remember him as the gold standard.
As the NFL season approaches, Kaepernick's absence from the field is a reminder of the cost of activism. But his legacy, as Brewer sees it, is secure—he stands taller than the rest, a beacon for what true courage looks like.
