Colin Kaepernick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Colin Kaepernick

Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers in 2012
No. 7
Position:	Quarterback
Personal information
Born:	(1987-11-03) November 3, 1987 (age 37) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school:	Pitman (Turlock, California)
College:	Nevada (2006–2010)
NFL Draft:	2011 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36
Career history
San Francisco 49ers (2011)
Career highlights and awards
2× WAC Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2010) NFL records Rushing yards by a quarterback in a game: 181 Rushing yards by a quarterback in a postseason: 264
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts: 1,692 Passing completions: 1,011 Completion percentage: 59.8% TD–INT: 72–30 Passing yards: 12,271 Passer rating: 88.9 Rushing yards: 2,300 Rushing touchdowns: 13
Player stats at PFR

Colin Rand Kaepernick (born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback. He played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL). In 2016, he became widely known for kneeling during the national anthem. He did this to protest police brutality and unfair treatment in the United States.

Kaepernick played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack. He was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Offensive Player of the Year twice. He is the only player in NCAA Division I history to have both 10,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards in his college career. After college, the 49ers chose him in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.

Kaepernick started his NFL career as a backup quarterback. He became the 49ers' main starter in the middle of the 2012 season. He led the team to their first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. In the 2013 season, he helped the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game. Over the next three seasons, he sometimes lost and then regained his starting job. The 49ers did not make the playoffs during these years.

In 2016, during a preseason game, Kaepernick sat during the U.S. national anthem. He did this to protest racial injustice, police brutality, and unfairness. In later games, he kneeled during the anthem. His actions caused strong reactions. Some people praised his protests, while others criticized them. This led to a bigger protest movement. Kaepernick became a free agent after the 2016 season. He has not been signed by another team since then. Many people believe this is because of his protests. In 2017, he filed a complaint against the NFL. He accused them of working together to keep him out of the league. He settled this complaint confidentially in 2019. His protests gained new attention in 2020 during the George Floyd protests.

Early Life and High School Sports

Colin Kaepernick was born in 1987 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was adopted by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick when he was five weeks old. The Kaepernicks had two other children. They decided to adopt a boy after losing two sons to heart problems.

Colin lived in Wisconsin until he was four. Then his family moved to California. He started playing youth football at age eight. He played as a defensive end and punter. By age nine, he was the starting quarterback on his team.

Kaepernick was a great student with a 4.0 GPA at John H. Pitman High School. He played football, basketball, and baseball. He was nominated for all-state honors in all three sports in his senior year. In football, he was the most valuable player (MVP) of his conference. In basketball, he scored 34 points in a big playoff game.

College Football Career

Kaepernick was a talented baseball pitcher in high school. He received many scholarship offers for baseball. But he really wanted to play college football. The University of Nevada, Reno was the only college to offer him a football scholarship. He signed with Nevada in February 2006.

Kaepernick began his college career in 2007 as a backup quarterback for the Wolf Pack. He played in 11 games. He finished that season with 19 passing touchdowns and 2,175 passing yards. He also ran for 593 yards and six touchdowns.

As a sophomore, Kaepernick had 2,849 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,130 yards and 17 touchdowns. He became only the sixth player in NCAA history to pass for over 2,000 yards and rush for over 1,000 yards in one season. He won the MVP award at the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl. After that game, he was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year. He was the first sophomore to win this award since 1992.

In 2009, the Chicago Cubs baseball team drafted Kaepernick. But he chose to keep playing football at the University of Nevada. He finished his junior season with 2,052 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns. He also had 1,183 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns.

Kaepernick playing in 2010

On November 26, 2010, Kaepernick led his team to a big overtime win against the undefeated Boise State Broncos. This win ended Boise State's 24-game winning streak. Nevada's coach called it the "most important win in program history."

Kaepernick ended his senior season with 3,022 passing yards and 21 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,206 yards and 20 touchdowns. He became only the second quarterback in FBS history to have 20 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns in the same season. Nevada shared the WAC title that year. Kaepernick was named WAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year again.

Kaepernick finished his college career with amazing stats. He had 10,098 passing yards and 82 passing touchdowns. He also had 4,112 rushing yards and 59 rushing touchdowns. He was the first quarterback in Division I FBS history to pass for over 10,000 yards and rush for over 4,000 yards. This is a very rare achievement.

He kept a 4.0 GPA throughout college. He graduated in 2011 with a degree in business management. After his senior season, he was ready for the NFL Draft.

College Statistics

Season	Team	GP	Passing							Rushing
			Cmp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Int	Rtg	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2006	Nevada	Redshirt
2007	Nevada	11	133	247	53.8	2,175	19	3	150.8	105	593	5.6	6
2008	Nevada	13	208	383	54.3	2,849	22	7	132.1	161	1,130	7.0	17
2009	Nevada	13	166	282	58.9	2,052	20	6	139.1	161	1,183	7.3	16
2010	Nevada	14	233	359	64.9	3,022	21	8	150.5	173	1,206	7.0	20
Career		51	740	1,271	58.2	10,098	82	24	142.5	600	4,112	6.9	59

Professional Football Career

Starting in the NFL (2011-2012)

The San Francisco 49ers picked Kaepernick in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft. He was the 36th player chosen overall. In his first season (2011), he was a backup quarterback and played very little.

In 2012, Kaepernick started to play more. He scored his first touchdown by running seven yards. Later that season, the main quarterback, Alex Smith, got a concussion. Kaepernick took over as the starter. He played well, throwing for 246 yards and two touchdowns in his first start. This led to a debate about who should be the starting quarterback. Kaepernick continued to start and led the 49ers to the playoffs.

Kaepernick playing in Super Bowl XLVII

In his first playoff game, Kaepernick had an amazing performance. He set an NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single game with 181 yards. The 49ers won that game. They then won the NFC Championship, reaching Super Bowl XLVII. In the Super Bowl, Kaepernick threw for 302 yards and a touchdown, and also ran for a touchdown. However, the 49ers lost a close game to the Baltimore Ravens, 34–31.

Full Seasons as Starter (2013-2014)

In the 2013 season opener, Kaepernick threw for a career-high 412 yards and three touchdowns. He finished the season with 3,197 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 524 yards and four touchdowns. He led the 49ers to a 12–4 record and another playoff spot.

In the playoffs, the 49ers won two games. They beat the Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers. Kaepernick played well in both games, using both his arm and his legs. They reached the NFC Championship Game again. But they lost to the Seattle Seahawks, who went on to win the Super Bowl.

On June 4, 2014, Kaepernick signed a big contract extension with the 49ers. He continued to play as the starting quarterback. In a game against the San Diego Chargers, he ran for a 90-yard touchdown. The 49ers finished the 2014 season with an 8–8 record and missed the playoffs. Kaepernick threw for 3,369 yards with 19 touchdowns.

Later Seasons and Free Agency (2015-2017)

In 2015, Kaepernick had a tough season. He lost his starting job to backup Blaine Gabbert. He then had shoulder surgery and missed the rest of the season. He finished with 1,615 passing yards and six touchdowns in nine games.

After the 2015 season, the 49ers hired a new coach. In February 2016, Kaepernick said he was interested in being traded to another team.

For the 2016 season, Kaepernick was recovering from three surgeries. He competed for the starting job but began the season as a backup. He became the starter again in Week 6. He played 12 games that season, throwing for 2,241 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 468 yards.

After the 2016 season, the 49ers hired another new coach. The team told Kaepernick they planned to release him. On March 3, 2017, he chose to leave his contract and became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team.

Lawsuit and Future in NFL

After leaving the 49ers in 2016, Kaepernick did not sign with any other NFL team. Many people believed he was being unfairly kept out of the league because of his protests. This is sometimes called being "blackballed." The Seattle Seahawks considered signing him in 2017 and 2018 but did not.

In October 2017, Kaepernick filed a complaint against the NFL. He accused the team owners of working together to keep him from playing. This is called collusion. The NFL tried to get the case dismissed, but an arbitrator said it could go to trial. In February 2019, Kaepernick reached a private agreement with the NFL and dropped his complaint.

Kaepernick continued to train and said he wanted to play football. In November 2019, the NFL set up a workout for him. Seven NFL teams sent scouts to watch him throw. However, he remains unsigned by any professional football team.

In June 2020, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said he regretted not signing Kaepernick in 2017. In August 2024, Jim Harbaugh, now coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, said he offered Kaepernick a coaching job. Kaepernick declined but could join in 2025 if he changes his mind.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season

Playoffs

Activism and Protests

Before the 2016 football season, Kaepernick used social media to speak out. He commented on police shootings and unfair treatment. During a preseason game, a reporter noticed Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem. He later explained his actions. He said he would not stand to show pride in a flag for a country that "oppresses black people and people of color." He felt it was bigger than football. He said he would continue to protest until the flag represented what it should.

In the next preseason game, Kaepernick kneeled during the anthem. He did this to show more respect to military members. He still wanted to protest racial injustice. He became more involved in social justice issues. After more police shootings, he spoke out again. Photos showed him wearing socks with pigs dressed as police officers. He said this was a statement against "rogue cops." He clarified that he has friends and family in law enforcement. He said he was not targeting all police officers. Kaepernick continued to kneel during the anthem for every 49ers game that season.

After some people criticized his protests, Kaepernick promised to donate $1 million. He gave money to groups working in communities facing unfairness. In 2018, he announced his final donations. He gave $10,000 to charities, which were matched by celebrities.

Other NFL players and athletes were inspired by Kaepernick. They also did silent protests during the national anthem. His teammates on the 49ers gave him the Len Eshmont Award. This award is for the player who shows the most inspiring and brave play. His coach at the time said Kaepernick was "zero distraction" that season.

In 2016, Kaepernick and his partner Nessa started the "Know Your Rights Camp." This group holds free workshops for young people. They teach about self-empowerment, American history, and legal rights. In April 2020, the camp started a fund to help people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Kaepernick donated $100,000 to this fund.

In 2018, Nike released an advertisement featuring Kaepernick. The ad said, "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything." An NFL spokesperson said Kaepernick's social justice work "deserve(s) our attention and action."

In July 2019, Nike released a shoe with the Betsy Ross flag. Kaepernick told Nike that he and others found the flag offensive. They connected it to slavery. Nike then removed the shoe from sale. This decision caused some debate.

In June 2020, during the George Floyd protests, the NFL faced questions about race. Most NFL players are African-American, but most team owners are white. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized for not listening to African-American players earlier. Many people felt his words were not sincere because of how Kaepernick had been treated. Some people believe that society is now starting to understand Kaepernick's protests better. In August 2020, Goodell said he wished the NFL had listened earlier to Kaepernick's reasons for kneeling.

Kaepernick supports the idea of changing or getting rid of police and prisons. In October 2020, his publishing company launched a project. It included essays from activists calling for changes to police and prisons. In August 2016, Kaepernick wore a shirt with a picture of Malcolm X and Fidel Castro. He praised a Cuban program that taught people to read. He said he believed in Malcolm X's ideas about fighting unfairness.

Vegan Activism

In 2016, Kaepernick said he started eating a vegan diet. This means he eats no animal products. He said it helped him recover from injuries. In 2020, he worked with a company called Impossible Foods. Through his "Know Your Rights Camp," they provided vegan food to communities in need. Also in 2020, he partnered with Ben & Jerry's to create a vegan ice cream flavor. It is called "Change the Whirled." Part of the money from sales goes to the "Know Your Rights Camp."

Written Works

• I Color Myself Different (Scholastic)

Personal Life

Colin Kaepernick poses with Carmelo Anthony after a New York Liberty/Las Vegas Aces WNBA Semifinals game, October 1, 2024

Kaepernick was baptized Methodist and confirmed Lutheran. He attended a Baptist church in college. He has spoken about his faith. He believes God guides him and helps him. He has several tattoos about his faith, including Bible verses and praying hands.

Kaepernick started dating radio and TV host Nessa Diab in 2015. They made their relationship public in 2016. Their child was born in August 2022.

Kaepernick's family has a pet African spurred tortoise named Sammy. They have had Sammy since Colin was 10 years old.

In February 2020, Kaepernick started Kaepernick Publishing. He published a children's book called I Color Myself Different in April 2022.

In October 2021, Netflix released Colin in Black & White. This is a six-episode series about Kaepernick's teenage years. Kaepernick helped create the series.

Awards and Honors

• 2017 GQ Magazine Citizen of the Year
• 2017 Sports Illustrated Muhammad Ali Legacy Award
• 2017 American Civil Liberties Union Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award
• 2017 Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship honoree
• 2018 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award
• 2018 Harvard University W. E. B. Du Bois Medal
• 2020 Ripple of Hope Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

See also

In Spanish: Colin Kaepernick para niños