KAEPERNICK VS. THE NFL: Sidelined quarterback Colin Kaepernick has filed a grievance against the NFL – accusing league owners of colluding against him after his decision to protest the National Anthem by taking a knee – a gesture that sparked a national debate on free speech. Ron Claiborne reports. http://abcn.ws/2gnGJL7 | ABC World News Tonight with David Muir

In 2016, Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence against Black Americans. The NFL and team owners insisted politics had no place in football and effectively blackballed Kaepernick, ending his career. Yet after the September 2025 assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the NFL and multiple teams held moments of silence in his honor. At Lambeau Field, the league asked fans to join a “silent reflection,” calling for unity and condemning hate. Other