Colin Kaepernick’s Activism Earns Him Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award

Colin Kaepernick will receive an award named for another athlete who became synonymous with putting his convictions ahead of his career.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback has been named the Muhammad Ali Center’s 2026 Humanitarian of the Year, according to Reuters. Kaepernick will accept the honor during a November 7 ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, recognizing his work against racial injustice and his efforts to support underserved communities through initiatives including his Know Your Rights Camp.

Lonnie Ali, Muhammad Ali’s widow and the co-founder, president, and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center, pointed specifically to Kaepernick’s willingness to keep advocating despite the consequences he faced.

“Colin has used his platform to advocate for equality, human dignity, and social change, even when doing so came at significant personal and professional cost,” Ali said.

Kaepernick also drew a direct connection between the honor and Ali’s history of taking public stands that carried consequences beyond sports.

“Muhammad Ali lived with an uncommon courage to stand firmly in his convictions, even when doing so came at a great personal cost,” Kaepernick said in a statement. “To be recognized in his name is simultaneously humbling and a responsibility.”

The award comes almost exactly 10 years after Kaepernick’s own protest transformed him from an NFL quarterback into one of the country’s most recognizable athlete activists.

In 2016, he began kneeling during the national anthem before games to protest police brutality and racial inequality. The demonstration spread to other players, triggered a national debate, and drew reactions from fans, team owners, and politicians.

Kaepernick has not appeared in an NFL game since that season. He later filed a grievance accusing NFL teams of colluding to prevent him from signing because of his activism. Kaepernick and the league reached a confidential settlement in 2019.

Before his departure from football, he spent six seasons with the 49ers and led the franchise to Super Bowl XLVII, where San Francisco lost to Baltimore 34-31.

His activism has continued well beyond the field. Through the Know Your Rights Camp, Kaepernick has worked on programs focused on education, empowerment, and resources for Black and Brown communities.

He has also moved further into publishing, including launching his own publishing company and co-writing books such as We Are Free, You & Me and the graphic novel Change the Game.

Kaepernick is also preparing to revisit the events that shaped his activism in The Perilous Fight, his memoir scheduled for release September 15 through Legacy Lit. He has said the book will provide more context around the experiences that ultimately led him to kneel.

The Muhammad Ali Center has previously given its Humanitarian of the Year honor to Shaquille O’Neal, Christina Aguilera, Common, Michael J. Fox, Patricia Arquette and Geena Davis.

This year’s ceremony will also recognize Kentucky philanthropists Steve and Amy Trager and six young changemakers from around the world.