Colin Kaepernick is dropping a memoir called *The Perilous Fight*. It’s coming out Sept. 15 — almost exactly 10 years after he first took a knee during the national anthem. The NFL world has moved on, and so have most of us. But here we are again, forced to look at the man who started it all.
Let me be clear: I don’t care if this book is “equal parts memoir and manifesto.” That’s just another way of saying it’s a long-form press release with some heartfelt moments sprinkled in for effect. We get it, Colin. You’re still relevant. The NFL hasn’t forgiven you. The media hasn’t stopped using your name as a punchline. And now, here you are, trying to remind us all that *you* were the one who started this whole damn thing.
But let’s be real — the main reason this book exists is because Kaepernick hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016. That’s almost six years of silence, and people have been waiting for him to say something. He’s not just publishing a memoir; he’s trying to reclaim his narrative. Which, honestly? That makes sense.
The NFL has built its entire identity around manufactured controversy. And what better way to generate some headlines than to let one of the league’s most controversial figures speak up again?
Kaepernick says he wants to offer “context” for why he took a knee. But what context could possibly make us feel *better* about that moment? Because let me tell you, when he first knelt during the national anthem in 2016, it was the most polarizing act of protest this country had seen since the Civil Rights Movement.
And now, after almost a decade, he’s trying to explain it. Explain what led him there — the “questions about who I was,” the “injustices I could no longer ignore.” But here’s the thing: we already *know* what led him there. We saw the footage of police brutality. We heard the stories of Black men being murdered in cold blood. We watched as Kaepernick stood up for it, and then got blackballed by the league that once worshipped him.
So why now? Why 10 years later?
Because he’s trying to make sure no one forgets what happened. Because the NFL would rather bury this story than acknowledge it. Because even though he’s been out of the league for almost six years, his name still carries weight — and that weight is mostly negative.
But let’s not act like Kaepernick hasn’t been vocal about social issues long before 2016. He’s always spoken out on race, police violence, economic inequality. But when you’re a Black quarterback in the NFL, your voice doesn’t carry the same weight as it would if you were, say, a white reporter writing for *The New York Times*.
That’s not a new revelation. That’s just how this system works. And Kaepernick knew that better than anyone.
He took a knee because he couldn’t ignore what was happening in America anymore. He wasn’t trying to “disrespect” the flag or the military — although, honestly, who gives a damn about that? The flag is just a piece of cloth. The military is a machine built on systemic racism and war profiteering.
But Kaepernick didn’t care. He saw something wrong, and he refused to stay silent. That’s not a choice that most people get to make — especially not in the NFL, where every move you make is scrutinized for the slightest misstep.
And then came the backlash. The boos. The jersey burnings. The media calling him “unpatriotic.” The league refusing to draft him or sign him. It was a full-blown witch hunt, and Kaepernick was the target.
But he didn’t back down. He took it all — the hate, the criticism, the financial ruin — because he knew what he stood for. And now, 10 years later, he’s writing about it in a memoir that’s being called “equal parts memoir and manifesto.”
Which is just another way of saying: get ready to be reminded how important this was.
Because here’s the thing — Kaepernick didn’t start anything on his own. He was inspired by other activists, other athletes who had spoken out before him. But he took it further. He made people uncomfortable. He forced them to confront the reality of systemic racism in America — not just in society, but in sports as well.
And that’s why this book is important. Not because it will change anything, but because it will remind us what was lost when Kaepernick left the NFL.
Because he didn’t just lose a job. He lost his platform. And with it, the chance to use that platform for something greater than himself.
But let me ask you: how many other athletes have had the courage to speak out like Kaepernick did? How many of them have been blacklisted by their own leagues? How many of them have been forced into silence?
Not many. Which is why this book isn’t just about Colin Kaepernick. It’s about all the people who came before him, and the ones who will come after.
Because when you speak out against injustice, especially in a system that profits from it, you risk everything. And Kaepernick paid the price for that.
But here’s what I find interesting: despite all of this, he still chose to stay in the fight. He didn’t go away quietly. He started his own publishing imprint, co-wrote books with other activists, and continued to speak out on issues that matter — even when it wasn’t popular.
That takes guts. That takes real courage.
And yet, there are people who still call him a “traitor.” People who don’t understand why he couldn’t just shut up and play the game. But those people are the ones who need to be educated. Because they’re the ones who have never been in his shoes. They’ve never felt the weight of being Black in America, let alone Black in sports.
But maybe this book will help change that. Maybe it’ll give a voice to all the people who have been silenced by the system — not just in sports, but everywhere else too.
And if that’s what this book is about, then I say: more power to him.
Because at the end of the day, Kaepernick didn’t start anything for the fame or the money. He started it because he believed in something bigger than himself — and he was willing to risk everything for it.
So when you read *The Perilous Fight*, don’t just see a memoir about a quarterback who took a knee during the national anthem. See a story about someone who dared to speak out, even when it cost him everything.
And then ask yourself: would you have had the guts to do the same?
Because if the answer is no — well, that’s on you.