Nike to air Kaepernick ad during ‘Thursday Night Football’: report

Nike will air its ad featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick during sporting events including the U.S. Open, MLB and the NFL’s opening telecast, “Thursday Night Football” this week, according to The New York Times.

The ad, called “Dream Crazy,” features Kaepernick and other sports stars such as tennis star Serena Williams and NBA star LeBron James, urging viewers to “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” 

Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/x5TnU7Z51i

— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 5, 2018

Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem to demonstrate against social injustices toward black men. He has remained unsigned for nearly two years. 

{mosads}President Trump was quick to lead the charge against Kaepernick’s and subsequent NFL players’ protests, calling them unpatriotic and saying that NFL players should be fired and fined for such actions.

Trump recently attacked CBS and ESPN over their decisions not to broadcast the anthem. ESPN, however, has not aired the anthem in previous years.

The president on Wednesday slammed the NFL and Nike after Nike featured Kaepernick as the face of its latest ad campaign.

“Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. I wonder if they had any idea that it would be this way? As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG!”

Just like the NFL, whose ratings have gone WAY DOWN, Nike is getting absolutely killed with anger and boycotts. I wonder if they had any idea that it would be this way? As far as the NFL is concerned, I just find it hard to watch, and always will, until they stand for the FLAG!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2018

The ad led to a flurry of calls from conservatives to boycott Nike. The company’s stock dropped a little more than 3 percent on Tuesday following the ad’s release, and the decision to feature Kaepernick sparked protests among some customers who posted videos and photos of them destroying their Nike products to social media.