What happened to former NFL star Colin Kaepernick, and is a comeback on the cards?

Since being forced out of the National Football League in 2016 for political reasons, Colin Kaepernick has flown under the radar over the last seven years.

Kaepernick played in the NFL for six seasons, predominantly as a starting quarterback for the San Fransisco 49ers.

After being a replacement quarterback in his first year, Kaepernick took the reigns of the offense in 2012, leading the 49ers to a Super Bowl in 2012 and the NFC Championship game in 2013.

The former San Fransisco quarterback holds two NFL records from his time in the Bay, having the most rushing yards in a game by a quarterback (181) and most rushing yards by a quarterback in the postseason (264).

But in the 49ers' third preseason game in 2016, Kaepernick kneeled during the US national anthem rather than stand as is customary.

Throughout the following week and the regular season, the quarterback kneeled at every national anthem, protesting against racial injustice, police brutality, and oppression.

His protests produced a wide range of reactions, with some supporting his stance and many denouncing his actions.

His actions resulted in wider spread protests, forcing former President Donald Trump to call for NFL owners to 'fire' players who protest the national anthem.

After the season, Kaepernick remained a free agent and has been unsigned since. Observers, such as Lou Moore, a history professor at Grand Valley State University and author of We Will Win the Day: The Civil Rights Movement, the Black Athlete, and the Quest for Equality, have put it down to his political actions.

“The way the NFL works is, if you are good and can help a team, we will bring you in. Kaepernick is clearly good enough. And he didn’t come back. That says a lot about what the teams think about him," Moore told The Guardian.

Fast forward to 2023, and life looks very different for Colin Kaepernick, who is a new father and runs many projects that empower people of color.

The former NFL star runs various media projects, a publishing company, and is the face of the Colin Kaepernick Foundation.

In 2021, Kaepernick created the Netflix TV series 'Colin in Black & White,' delving into his younger years and experiences that led him to become an activist.

Kaepernick is also now an author, with the book 'Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game,' focusing on his childhood and what sparked him into taking the knee against the national anthem.

According to cbsnews.com, the quarterback said: "Very similar to the messaging of the book is I don't have control over all of these situations. But I control how I respond to it, I control how I prepare for it, and I'm a believer that in doing that, good things will happen."

Life looks to have changed completely for Kaepernick, but the former NFL star still looks forward to the day he can return to the field.

According to cbsnews.com, Kaepernick said: "Five, six days a week, I'm still up at 4:30, I go get my training in. Yeah, that passion is still there, and the ability is still there."