Colin Kaepernick played six seasons in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers, leading them to the Super Bowl during the 2012 season. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 302 yards and rushed for 62 against the Baltimore Ravens, leading an inspired second-half comeback that fell short, 34-31, at the Superdome in New Orleans.
Kaepernick was selected by San Francisco in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft and spent his entire career in the Bay Area. Known for his athleticism and elite arm strength, he notably kneeled during the national anthem in to protest social injustice, which started a national controversy. The last time NFL fans saw the Nevada Wolfpack product in action was on Jan. 1, 2017, in a 25-23 loss to Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick scores a touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVII at the Superdome.© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
(© Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
In his six-year NFL career, Kaepernick played in 69 games, all with San Francisco. He completed 59.8% of his passes for 12,271 yards, 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. In addition, he ran for 2,300 yards on 6.1 yards per carry for 13 touchdowns.
He ended his career acrimoniously. He filed a grievance against the NFL in 2017, accusing the league of blackballing him. This led to a lawsuit filed against the league in 2019, with attorney Mark Geragos representing Kaepernick. The NFL eventually settled with Kaepernick for just under $10 million.
More than nine years since his last NFL game, Kaepernick announced on Instagram his latest career endeavor, which is a book he authored called “The Perilous Fight.” Kaepernick has an extensive history in the world of books. He founded Kaepernick Publishing in 2019 and has authored numerous works. This is the seventh book that Kaepernick has been involved with:
“Different” (2016) – By Colin Kaepernick
“Abolition For The People” (2021) – By Colin Kaepernick, coauthored by Eve L. Ewing
“I Color Myself Different” (2022) – By Colin Kaepernick, illustrated by Eric Wilkerson
“Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game” (Graphic Novel Memoir) (2023) – By Colin Kaepernick, coauthored by Eve L. Ewing, illustrated by Orlando Caicedo
“Our History Has Always Been Contraband: In Defense of Black Studies” (2023) – Edited by Colin Kaepernick, Robin D.G. Kelley, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
“We Are Free, You and Me” (2024) – By Colin Kaepernick, coauthored by Nessa Diab, illustrated by Gladys Jose
“The Perilous Fight” (2026) – By Colin Kaepernick
“What would you sacrifice for what you believe in?” Kaepernick wrote on Instagram. “I gave up everything. And I’d do it again. THE PERILOUS FIGHT is the full story. The becoming, the moment, and what’s still left to fight for. The world has been telling my story for 10 years. It’s my turn. THE PERILOUS FIGHT. September 15, 2026. Order now at the link in my bio. @legacylitbooks @hachetteus @audible”
The audiobook was produced by and will be released exclusively by Audible on Sept. 15.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.