Nike has released an all-black jersey to commemorate the four years since NFL’s Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest against racism. The then San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did so during the American national anthem.
CBS reported that the ‘Icon Jersey 2.0’, which retails at $150, went on sale Thursday morning and sold out in less than a minute. The No. 7 jersey pays homage to Kaepernick’s kneeling protests. In its website, Nike says that Kaepernick’s mode of protest has “become an iconic symbol for progress and positive change.”
Kaepernick-themed products have done well for sportswear giant Nike in the past as well. Last year, Kaepernick took to Twitter, stating the Icon Jersey sold out shortly before release and in 2018 the tee sold out in a couple of hours.
“Four years ago, I took a knee to protest against systemic racism and social injustice. It was that day that the number on my jersey would come to represent something greater than football, something greater than me," Kaepernick wrote Thursday in a post on Instagram.
The former NFL star said that number 7 jersey in itself has become a symbol for advancing the liberation and well-being of black and brown communities.
Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since the end of 2016 season, in which he gained attention for kneeling during the anthem. The former 49ers quarterback has since become a free agent, filed a lawsuit and reached a financial settlement with the league after accusing it of blackballing him and teammate Eric Reid.
“While the NFL runs propaganda about how they care about Black Life, they are still actively blackballing Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) for fighting for the Black community," Kaepernick tweeted. “Eric set 2 franchise records last year and is one of the best defensive players in the league."‘
https://twitter.com/Kaepernick7/status/1305236968243171330
Amid wide protests in the US against racism, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently admitted regret that the league should have listened to Kaepernick and other players who chose to kneel during the anthem.