Colin Kaepernick

Passing attempts	1,692
Passing completions	1,011
Completion percentage	59.8%
TD–INT	72–30
Passing yards	12,271
Passer rating	88.9
Rushing yards	2,300
Rushing touchdowns	13
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Colin Kaepernick
	Kaepernick in 2026
No. 7
Position	Quarterback
Personal information
Born	November 3, 1987; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	230 lb (104 kg)
Career information
High school	Pitman (Turlock, California)
College	Nevada (2006–2010)
NFL draft	2011: 2nd round, 36th overall pick
Career history
	San Francisco 49ers (2011–2016);
Awards and highlights
	2× WAC Offensive Player of the Year (2008, 2010); WAC Freshman of the Year (2007); NFL records Rushing yards by a quarterback in a game: 181; Rushing yards by a quarterback in a postseason: 264;
Career NFL statistics
Passing attempts
Passing attempts	1,692
Passing completions	1,011
Completion percentage	59.8%
TD–INT	72–30
Passing yards	12,271
Passer rating	88.9
Rushing yards	2,300
Rushing touchdowns	13
	Stats at Pro Football Reference

Colin Rand Kaepernick (/ˈkæpərnɪk/ KAP-ər-nik; born November 3, 1987) is an American civil rights activist and former professional football quarterback. He played for the San Francisco 49ers in the National Football League (NFL) for six seasons. In 2016, he gained attention for kneeling during the U.S. national anthem at the start of NFL games in protest of police brutality and racial inequality in the United States.

Kaepernick played college football for the Nevada Wolf Pack, winning Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year twice. Selected by the 49ers in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft, Kaepernick began his professional career as a backup to Alex Smith. He became the 49ers' starter in the middle of the 2012 season after Smith was injured and led the team to Super Bowl XLVII, the team's first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. In his first full season as the starter in 2013, Kaepernick helped the 49ers reach the NFC Championship Game. Over the next three seasons, Kaepernick was demoted from and reinstated as the team's starting quarterback, with the 49ers missing the playoffs each year.

Kaepernick sat and kneeled during the playing of the U.S. national anthem prior to games throughout the 2016 pre-season and regular season as a protest against police brutality and racial inequality in the United States. The protests were highly polarized, and included negative reactions from U.S. president Donald Trump. Kaepernick became a free agent after the season and was not signed by any team, prompting him to file a grievance against the NFL and team owners in November 2017, accusing them of collusion in keeping him out of the league; Kaepernick withdrew the grievance in February 2019 after reaching a confidential settlement with the NFL. His protests received renewed attention in 2020 amid the George Floyd protests, and kneeling became a part of protest movements in other sports regarding racial injustice.