Colin Kaepernick begins kneeling during national anthem to protest police violence

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the pre-game national anthem to protest police brutality and racial injustice. The act of protest inspired widespread emulation across professional and amateur sports, triggered a national debate about patriotism and racial justice, and ultimately cost Kaepernick his NFL career—for which he later received a collusion settlement.