Colin Kaepernick is headlining Nike’s 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is featured in a new promotion that reads “believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” Kaepernick’s face makes up the entire background of the advertisement.
The 30-year-old continues to remain unsigned by an NFL team. Kaepernick was the first NFL player to begin protesting during the national anthem in 2016. His demonstrations aimed at raising awareness against police brutality and racial injustice, sparked a league-wide movement that’s continued throughout this year’s preseason.
Kaepernick became an outspoken social justice advocate since launching the protests. He’s currently locked in litigation against the NFL — claiming the owners are colluding to keep him out of the league because of his stance. According to Yahoo Sports, his new deal with Nike is worth millions of dollars and puts him “on par” with other top NFL stars.
As part of the campaign, Nike also released ads featuring tennis star Serena Williams, NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr and NFL Linebacker Shaquem Griffin; a Seahawks rookie whose left hand was amputated when he was a young child.
Nike first introduced its trademark “Just Do It” slogan in 1988. It became the company’s pseudo calling cry for campaigns featuring athletes like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Tiger Woods.
