Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick surprised many over the weekend when he was revealed to be the face of Nike's new "Just Do It" anniversary ad campaign.
He tweeted the first image Sunday.
According to the New York Times, Kaepernick has also signed a new, multiyear deal with Nike.
The first advertisement from Nike, one of the [NFL's] top partners, debuted Monday afternoon, when Kaepernick tweeted it, assuring that his activism and the protest movement against racism and social injustice he started would continue to loom over one of the country’s most powerful sports leagues.
Nike will produce new Kaepernick apparel, including a shoe and a T-shirt, and if the merchandise sells well, the value of the deal will rival those of other top N.F.L. players, according to people close to the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because Nike had not formally announced it. Nike will also donate money to Kaepernick’s “Know Your Rights” campaign.
Kaepernick became a controversial figure in 2016, when the then 49ers player started the movement to kneel during the United States national anthem to protest racial injustice.
The campaign will apparently also feature Serena Williams, Odell Beckham, Jr., LeBron James and more.