NIKE will feature Colin Kaepernick, the National Football League quarterback who led player protests during the national anthem, in a new advertising campaign, a move that joins one of the NFL’s biggest business partners with a controversial star who is engaged in a high-profile legal battle with the league.
Mr. Kaepernick, the former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, revealed his role in the campaign in a tweet on Monday that was subsequently retweeted by Nike’s corporate Twitter account. A person familiar with the matter said Mr. Kaepernick will be part of a renewed Nike “Just Do It” campaign, and his face will be featured in ads and on billboards.
“Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt,” Mr. Kaepernick wrote. The tweet included a black-and-white picture of his face with the words: “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
A Nike spokeswoman wrote in an email that Mr. Kaepernick is “among the athletes” being featured in the “Just Do It” campaign, which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2018.
“This campaign is a compilation of the most inspirational athletes around sport—athletes who have chased crazy dreams, no matter the obstacle or outcome,” she added.
Mr. Kaepernick is perhaps the NFL’s most polarizing figure. He has gone unsigned since March 2017 and was one of the leaders of player protests during the national anthem, which were meant to call attention to racial injustices and social inequality. He has filed a grievance against the NFL, alleging the league and all 32 teams colluded to keep him unsigned because of his outspoken political views.
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