Nearly a decade after he first took a knee during the national anthem to protest systemic racism and police brutality, a decision that effectively ended his NFL career, Colin Kaepernick has been named the 2026 Humanitarian of the Year by the Muhammad Ali Center.
The award will be presented at the 13th annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards ceremony on Saturday, November 7, in Louisville, Kentucky. Kaepernick joins a distinguished roster of past recipients that includes President Jimmy Carter, Harry Belafonte, Shaquille O’Neal, and Common.
The parallels between Kaepernick and Ali have always been difficult to ignore: two athletes who walked away from the peak of their sporting careers rather than compromise their convictions, and who spent the years that followed turning those convictions into action.
Lonnie Ali, co-founder, president, and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center, made that connection explicit in announcing the award.
“Colin was chosen for his courage to stand against racial injustice and his unwavering commitment to empowering underserved communities,” she said. “Like Muhammad, 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. Through Know Your Rights Camp and his broader philanthropic efforts, Colin has turned his convictions into meaningful action.”
Since his last NFL season in 2016, Kaepernick has built something substantial in the space that football left behind. Through Know Your Rights Camp, his nonprofit organization, he has hosted free educational seminars for Black and Brown youth focused on self-empowerment, law, health, and mass incarceration reform. He also founded Kaepernick Publishing to elevate diverse voices in literature, an extension of the same belief that stories and platforms exist to serve people, not just the people who hold them.
Kaepernick reflected on what it means to be recognized in Ali’s name. “Muhammad Ali lived with an uncommon courage to stand firmly in his convictions, even when doing so came at a great personal cost,” he said. “He understood that our platforms are not simply ours to benefit from, but ours to use in service of others. To be recognized in his name is simultaneously humbling and a responsibility. I remain committed to bring about justice, uplift our communities, and develop a world where all people can live with freedom, dignity, and self-determination.”
The ceremony takes place on November 7, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Photo Credit: Netflix
