Colin Kaepernick is being honored for turning a defining act of protest into a years-long commitment to racial justice and community empowerment.
Colin Kaepernick will receive the Muhammad Ali Center’s 2026 Humanitarian of the Year award at the organization’s annual ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 7. Reuters reported that the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback was selected for his advocacy against racial injustice and his work supporting underserved communities.
The honor places Kaepernick in a tradition built around Muhammad Ali’s willingness to use sports fame as a platform for causes beyond competition. Lonnie Ali, co-founder, president and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center, said Kaepernick has used his platform to advocate for “equality, human dignity, and social change,” while continuing that work despite personal and professional consequences.
Kaepernick’s activism became a national flashpoint in 2016 when he began kneeling during the national anthem before NFL games to protest police brutality and racial inequality. The demonstration spread to other athletes and became one of the most consequential athlete-led protests of the decade, reshaping public debate about sports, patriotism and racial justice.
He has not appeared in an NFL game since the 2016 season. Kaepernick later filed a grievance alleging that NFL teams colluded to keep him out of the league because of his activism, and he reached a confidential settlement with the league in 2019.
His work has continued through Know Your Rights Camp and other philanthropic efforts focused on educating, empowering and supporting young people and underserved communities. In a statement released by the Muhammad Ali Center, Kaepernick called being recognized in Ali’s name “simultaneously humbling and a responsibility,” adding that he remains committed to justice, dignity and self-determination.
The November ceremony will mark the 13th annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards, the Center’s largest annual fundraiser for its programs, community events and exhibitions. This year’s event will also honor Kentucky philanthropists Steve and Amy Trager and six young international changemakers, while Kaepernick joins past Humanitarian of the Year recipients including Common, Shaquille O’Neal, Christina Aguilera and Michael J. Fox.
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