Colin Kaepernick

Colin Kaepernick was born in Wisconsin and raised in California, carrying with him a love for sports. After excelling academically and athletically in high school, Kaepernick took his talents to the University of Nevada in Reno, the only college to offer him a chance to play quarterback. He didn't play much his first year until the starting quarterback was injured and Kaepernick was thrust into action. He lit up the scoreboard in his first chance at playing, and in his first start, he nearly beat the heavily favored Boise State team in a high-scoring, four overtime game that ended in a 69-67 defeat. From that point forward, Kaepernick was the starter at Nevada, earning a variety of accolades over his four years there including WAC Offensive Player of the Year. After graduating in 2010, Kaepernick entered the NFL Draft where he was selected in the second round by the San Francisco 49ers. He was the backup in his rookie season and played sparingly. The next year, much like his time at Nevada, he got a chance to shine after the starting quarterback went down with an injury. From the moment he was handed the reins, he never let them go and wound up carrying the 2012 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance, where they ultimately lost to the Baltimore Ravens. In 2013, he led the team back to the NFC Conference Championship Game but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. His 2014 and 2015 were forgettable, as he eventually lost the starting quarterback job by the end of the latter season due to injury. In the summer of 2016, Kaepernick started kneeling down during the National Anthem before games in protest of oppression of people of color. His action started an outcry among sports and political circles, although many other sports figures joined his quiet protests.