Colin Kaepernick is an American former professional football quarterback and civil rights activist, best known for his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers (2011–2016) and for kneeling during the U.S. national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. He played college football at the University of Nevada, Reno, where he emerged as a dual-threat quarterback and finished with notable passing and rushing totals before being selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft[4][7]. Kaepernick became San Francisco’s starter in 2012, led the team to Super Bowl XLVII that season, and helped the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game in 2013[4][1]. On the field he combined passing ability with significant rushing production and compiled multi-year NFL statistics as the team’s primary quarterback[5][7]. In 2016 he began sitting and then kneeling during the national anthem to draw attention to systemic racism and police violence; the protest generated widespread national debate, both support and criticism, and elevated his public profile as an activist[1][4]. After the 2016 season he opted out of his contract and entered free agency; he did not play again in the NFL, later filing a grievance alleging league collusion, which was settled with the NFL in 2019 for an undisclosed amount[3]. Since leaving regular play Kaepernick has continued activism and philanthropy focused on racial justice and community programs, including work through his Know Your Rights Camp and various public appearances and partnerships that keep him prominent in social-justice conversations[4][3]. His case remains a reference point in discussions about athletes’ political expression, labor disputes in professional sports, and corporate and league responses to protest; he continues to be a polarizing and influential figure in American sports and civil-rights discourse[1][3].