Colin Kaepernick is not on an NFL roster, but he does have his own ad campaign, courtesy of Nike.
Kaepernick has been with Nike since 2011. However, the company hadn’t used him in an ad in some time, and had not publicly commented on his 2016 decision to kneel during the national anthem or his subsequent social activism.
Today, Nike unveiled its new black-and-white ad featuring Kaepernick. It is part of the 30th anniversary of the company’s “Just do it” campaign.
The ad slogan reads “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
BREAKING: Nike had been paying Colin Kaepernick all along, waiting for the right moment. That moment is now, as he becomes the face of the company’s 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign. pic.twitter.com/uccpDStbq5
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 3, 2018
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the end of the 2016 season. He is currently involved in a collusion case against the league, claiming that his protest is keeping teams from signing him.
One thing is certain: Nike’s new Kaepernick ad is likely going to provoke a lot of strong reactions from all over the political spectrum.