It turns out that Nike, which has kept former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick on their payroll since 2011 but has not used him in their ads for the last two years, was saving him for a signature moment, bringing him back in their ads to celebrate the 30th anniversary of their “Just Do It” campaign.
BREAKING: Nike had been paying Colin Kaepernick all along, waiting for the right moment. That moment is now, as he becomes the face of the company’s 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign. pic.twitter.com/uccpDStbq5
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 3, 2018
Gino Fisanotti, Nike’s vice president of brand marketing for North America, told ESPN, “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who have leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward.”
Kaepernick, 30, who was named GQ magazine’s Citizen of the Year for 2017, has filed a collusion grievance against the NFL, accusing it of keeping him out of the league because of his protest.
To commemorate Nike’s decision, Kaepernick gleefully tweeted:
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018
