Colin Kaepernick, the former N.F.L. quarterback who inspired a player protest movement but who has been out of a job for more than a year, has signed a new, multiyear deal with Nike that makes him a face of the 30th anniversary of the sports apparel company’s “Just Do It” campaign, Nike confirmed on Monday. The first advertisement from Nike, one of the league’s top partners, debuted Monday afternoon, when Kaepernick tweeted it, assuring that his activism and the protest movement against racism and social injustice he started would continue to loom over one of the country’s most powerful sports leagues. [Related: How Colin Kaepernick controls the N.F.L. protest conversation without saying anything] Nike will produce new Kaepernick apparel, including a shoe and a T-shirt, and if the merchandise sells well, the value of the deal will rival those of other top N.F.L. players, according to people close to the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because Nike had not formally announced it. Nike will also donate money to Kaepernick’s “Know Your Rights” campaign. The N.F.L. did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ad and the campaign, coming a few days before the start of the N.F.L. season on Thursday, is likely to annoy the league’s top executives and its owners. On Thursday, Kaepernick won a victory in his grievance against the league when an arbitrator let his case, in which he accuses the league of conspiring to keep him off the field because of his activism, advance.<doc-sep>Gino Fisanotti, Nike's vice president of branding for North America, was quoted by cable sports network ESPN as saying: "We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward."<doc-sep>Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images Nike selected former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as the face of its "Just Do It" campaign, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Darren Rovell of ESPN reported the choice of Kaepernick, who started the movement to kneel during the United States national anthem to protest racial injustice in August 2016. Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports later reported that Kaepernick and Nike agreed to a new contract despite the fact Kaepernick has been with the company since 2011. Robinson added that "interest from other shoe companies" played a part in the new agreement. Per Robinson, the contract is a "wide endorsement" where Kaepernick will have his own branded line including shoes, shirts, jerseys and more. According to Robinson, Kaepernick signed a "star" contract that puts him level with a "top-end NFL player" worth millions per year plus royalties. "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," he told Steve Wyche of NFL Media about the decision two years ago. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder." Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the Niners in March 2017 and hasn't been able to find a new team since. An April visit with the Seattle Seahawks was postponed after he did not assure the franchise he'd stand for the anthem if signed, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 30-year-old quarterback filed a collusion grievance against the league, which claimed he was being kept out of the league because of the protests he started. His argument received a boost last week when arbitrator Stephen B. Burbank ruled there was enough evidence to require a full hearing. Video Play Button Videos you might like Although Kaepernick has received numerous honors for his efforts, including being named GQ magazine's Citizen of the Year for 2017, the movement he started remains polarizing. A poll from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal released last week showed 54 percent of respondents deemed kneeling during the anthem "inappropriate," while 43 percent called it "appropriate." Meanwhile, NFL owners approved anthem rules in May that would force players to stand on the sideline or remain in the locker room during the anthem. Teams with players who did not comply with the new policy would be subject to league fines, while teams could hand out individual punishment. Those guidelines are on hold, however, as discussions between the NFL and the NFL Players Association continue with the 2018 season set to start Thursday night.<doc-sep>
Colin Kaepernick tweeted the ad with the words, "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt." Colin Kaepernick will be the face of Nike's 30th anniversary "Just Do It” campaign, reports ESPN's Darren Rovell. According to Rovell, Nike has been paying Kaepernick all along and "waiting for the right moment," which is now. Nike signed Kaepernick in 2011, but has not used him over the past two years. "We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward," Gino Fisanotti, Nike's vice president of brand for North America, told ESPN. Kaepernick tweeted the ad which has the words, "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt." Nike is the NFL's official uniform sponsor. Other athletes in the new campaign include Serena Williams, Odell Beckham Jr., Shaquem Griffin and LeBron James. The former 49ers quarterback began kneeling during the 'Star-Spangled Banner' in August 2016 as a means of protesting racial inequality and police brutality. Dozens of other NFL players, as well as numerous other athletes across America, ultimately joined him. The protests grew during the 2017 season after President Donald Trump criticized NFL players who chose to follow suit. Trump said owners should "fire" NFL players who protest the anthem and referred to them as "son[s] of b------". Players responded by protesting en masse. Kaepernick hasn't played since the 2016 season. He filed a grievance against the NFL for collusion in October 2017 after another team did not pick him up after opting out of his 49ers contract in March of the same year. Colin Kaepernick's Lawyer Says John Elway Violated Protective Order In Collusion Case He won the summary judgment phase of his collusion case last week.