“There’s a lot of parallels between Colin and my father,” Khaliah Ali said. “He stands 100 percent with integrity no matter the cost. He made an unwavering commitment for the betterment of his people and took an unapologetic stance against injustice.” Coming from Muhammad Ali’s daughter, those words don’t feel performative. They feel earned. Because in today’s sanitized version of athlete activism, Colin Kaepernick remained a rare constant. His kneel wasn’t a campaign slogan. It was a line in the sand.
Many before him were forced to walk theirs back. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf comes to mind. In 1996, the NBA guard was effectively pushed out of the league after refusing to stand for the national anthem. His career fizzled at 29. And that’s why, back in 2022, almost a couple of decades later, Rauf revealed what he asked Kap after he kneeled. “When I first heard [of Kaepernick kneeling]… I sent something on social media saying, ‘I’m with you 1,000%’,” Abdul-Rauf told the Guardian in 2022, adding, “But my mind was – he’s getting ready to get it, right?”
And Kap didn’t just get ready. He stood firm, stayed loud, even when the lights went out. While endorsements vanished and NFL calls stopped, he didn’t pivot to silence. Now, that defiance is being honored with a day in his name, speeches from city leaders, and even a middle school that sees his story as part of its curriculum. Not as folklore, but as a living, breathing legacy.
On June 24, in a jam-packed auditorium at Orange Preparatory Academy in New Jersey, the City of Orange formally designated it ‘Colin Kaepernick Day.’ Yes, that Colin Kaepernick—the league said was too ‘system-specific’ yet still manages to live rent-free in America’s sports-political debate. The announcement was made at the school‘s 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony, where Kap was the surprise guest speaker.
“For his unwavering commitment to youth empowerment, education, and equity, our co-founder, Colin Kaepernick (@kaepernick7), was honored today with an official proclamation, declaring June 24th as ‘Colin Kaepernick Day’ in the City of Orange, NJ. Mayor Dwayne D. Warren, Esq., presented the proclamation in front of a packed auditorium,” Know Your Rights Camp wrote on IG.
He didn’t just show up—he showed out. According to Know Your Rights Camp, “He delivered a message that shook the room, rooted in courage, purpose, and the power of trusting your voice and believing in yourself.” Middle schoolers don’t usually get life advice from someone with a Netflix doc, a Nike Emmy, and a Super Bowl resume—but the Class of 2025 did.
And they didn’t just give him a mic. The City also gave him a proclamation in which Orange Mayor Dwayne D. Warren referred to Kaepernick as a “global change agent,” highlighted his endeavors such as Lumi (his AI-driven storytelling platform), and commended his decades-long efforts to empower young people through media and education.
From his children’s books to Know Your Rights Camp, from kneeling to narrating, the man has transformed protest into a platform. The students even shared their own tales using Kap’s Lumi technology, demonstrating that legacy is about more than just shoe sales or statistics—it’s about who gets a voice because you dared to raise yours. But there is still one question that echoes: Will he ever come back to the field he once ruled?
Still training, still waiting: Colin Kaepernick’s comeback campaign isn’t over
Since January 1, 2017, Colin Kaepernick has not played in an NFL game during the regular season. But let’s not confuse that with retirement. He continues to pursue that “all day, every day… Nothing has changed! Nothing!” according to his partner Nessa Diab. And if anyone would know what goes down behind those gym doors, it’s her.
Also, if we talk about his age, he is currently 37. If that age were a problem, half of the league’s quarterback rooms would be empty. This season, Russell Wilson is hitting 37. Aaron Rodgers is 41. So, in theory, Kap is still within range. And since leaving, he has done everything to stay relevant in football.
He has maintained his fitness, sent letters to teams, released workouts, and even turned down coaching positions, such as the one with the Chargers. With the same Jim Harbaugh, who almost rode that choice to a Super Bowl ring after benching a 6-2-1 Alex Smith for a second-year Kaepernick. According to Skip Bayless, Harbaugh still sees traces of Kap in Trey Lance.
Remember the Raiders in 2022, the last time that door was opened. Before that? Seattle gave a quick glimpse. The NFL then planned a workout. And Kap abruptly rescheduled it, citing concerns about transparency. “We all know why. I came out there and showed it today in front of everybody. Stop running from the truth. Stop running from the people,” Kap said in 2019.
So for Kap, the work never ends. “You don’t just walk away…There will never be an instance where I’m not ready,” is his timeless message. And perhaps that’s what sets him apart. Not only the records, such as the NFL’s highest-ever quarterback rushing total in a single game with the Niners. Not only the Emmy, or the kneel. But the relentless, borderline stubborn belief that the phone might still ring. It hasn’t yet. But now there’s a city in New Jersey where June 24 will forever be Colin Kaepernick Day. That’s one comeback no team can bench.
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