Today, ESPN dropped a huge bit of news. They will not air the Spike Lee produced, much ballyhooed documentary series on former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The decision comes after production began in 2022 and was expected to explore Kaepernick’s journey as a pivotal figure in the conversation surrounding racial injustice in America. It was almost a decade ago when Kaepernick started this national conversation. He called attention to systemic racism and police brutality by going down on bended knee during the U.S. national anthem in 2016.
Kaepernick’s protest and the NFL’s handling of it ignited a firestorm of debate. He subsequently filed a collusion grievance against NFL team owners, alleging they conspired to keep him out of the league. This grievance was eventually settled with the NFL in 2019. Since his last game in the NFL during the 2016 season, Kaepernick has remained a prominent activist, advocating for social justice issues.
The documentary series was meant to offer a “comprehensive, first-person exploration” of Kaepernick’s life, struggles, and challenges. Once in production, clashing ideas between Kaepernick and Lee about the tone and direction within the film led to delays.
Neither Spike Lee’s Twitter account nor ESPN have listed any further reasons for the end of the series. In response to the announcement of the decision, Spike Lee said a nondisclosure agreement barred him from disclosing details.
“It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say.” – Spike Lee
In a statement to Deadline, ESPN highlighted the cross-disciplinary teamwork that went into the project and lamented its cancellation.
“Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.” – ESPN
The news of the series’ cancellation marks another chapter in Kaepernick’s complex relationship with the NFL and highlights ongoing tensions surrounding issues of race and justice in sports and society at large. Now 37, Kaepernick is still an important and powerful figure, despite being out of the professional game since 2016.