FORMER NFL star Colin Kaepernick has become a civil rights activist after famously kneeling during the national anthem before a match in 2016.

He has been without an NFL contract since leaving the San Francisco 49ers the following year – winning both criticism and praise for his stance.

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Who is Colin Kaepernick?

Colin Kaepernick, who was born on November 3 1987, played as a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers – making his debut in the 2011 season.

He became famous worldwide for his civil rights protests during the 2016 campaign.

He first chose to sit rather than stand while the US national anthem was played before a pre-season game against the Green Bay Packers in August 2016.

At subsequent matches he took the knee while it was sung.

He said at the time: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.

“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.”

There were also protests across the country and a boycott campaign aimed at sportswear giants Nike after they supported his position.

And then-US president Donald Trump urged NFL owners to fire players who refused to stand for the anthem.

But Kaepernick has also been backed by public figures such as basketball legend LeBron James, who paid tribute to Kaepernick when talking about George Floyd, who was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis in 2020.

Kaepernick became a free agent in 2017 and was not picked up by another NFL side, seeming to end his career.

But in March 2022, he shared on social media a video of him performing training drills and insisted he was still “working towards” a return to the game.

What is Colin Kaepernick’s net worth?

Kaepernick has an estimated net fortune of $20million, as of 2023, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

His wealth comes from not only his former NFL career, but also from sponsorship and media deals.

A contract he signed with the 49ers in 2014, including a seven-year extension deal, set out how he could earn $126million – with $61million in potential guarantees and $13million automatically.

But after the team revealed plans to cut him in 2017 he opted out of his contract to become a free agent, having only earned $39million.

He filed a grievance against the NFL that year, accusing them and team owners of conspiring to keep him from playing over his taking a knee.

A private settlement was reached in 2019 though details remain unclear.

Much of his money comes from Nike and media contracts, including a Netflix deal which involved narrating a new series Colin In Black And White which was released in October 2021.

He was also seen as the face of Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign for the marketing slogan’s 30th anniversary in 2018.

He was heard saying in an advert: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

He has also established a publishing company, Kaepernick Publishing, which brought out his autobiographical book I Color Myself Different in April last year.

Kaepernick has been in a relationship with TV and radio host Nessa Diab since 2015.

She revealed last year she had given birth to their first child.

What college did Colin Kaepernick attend?

Kaepernick was brought up by Rick and Teresa Kaepernick after his birth mother put him up for adoption.

Before embarking on his NFL career Kaepernick had emerged as a stand-out NCAA star at the University of Nevada in Reno – the only university to offer him a scholarship.

He began with the Wolf Pack as a back-up quarterback, before recording then22 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and 2,849 passing yards in his second year.

He became the fifth player in NCAA history to pass 2,000 yards and rush more than 1,000 yards in a single season.

He eventually left the school having provided 10,098 passing yards, 82 passing touchdowns, 24 interceptions, 4,112 rushing yards, 59 rushing touchdowns and a 4.0 GPA.

The 49ers went on to select him in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.