Ex-quarterback Colin Kaepernick finds the social development of recent years in the USA “brutally frustrating”. Everyday racism and prejudice against individual population groups have reached a level “that I didn’t expect”, said the former NFL star in an interview with GQ Germany: “Numerous efforts have been made to exacerbate the situation and undo the progress that has been made. “

For years, Kaepernick has played a pioneering role in the fight against racism, injustice and police violence. During the 2016/17 season, the playmaker was the first NFL professional to kneel in protest while the US national anthem was playing before a game. Kaepernick thus became a face of the global Black Lives Matter movement.

“We’ve managed to get so many people to stand up and say that things can’t go on like this. That so many people are becoming aware of this problem – and at the same time the problem is getting bigger. That worries me a lot,” emphasized the 36-year-old, who became persona non grata in the NFL as a result of his protest.

There was a spirit of optimism, “that everything is moving in the right direction, that something can actually change now and that we are all heading for a better future. But at the same time, 2022 was the year in which the most people were killed by police officers – in the history of the USA. So the situation got worse.”

Kaepernick, who led the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2012/13 season, was no longer offered a contract in 2017 as a result of his protest. Since then, the quarterback has been waiting for a comeback in the NFL. Among others, then US President Donald Trump had condemned and denigrated the rebellious stars.

Kaepernick emphasized that his primary goal was “to improve the lives of the people around me and the entire Black community”: “It’s not always the easiest path that I take, but the direction is clearly set. “