With the announcement that the former NFL quarterback would be the face of its 30th anniversary “Just Do It” campaign, people on social media couldn’t stop talking about Nike and Colin Kaepernick.
The athletic giant and the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, who hasn’t laced up his cleats since the 2016 season, shared a black and white image from the campaign boasting the phrase, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
And the world of sports reacted favorably. Star pro basketball players LeBron James and Chris Paul both shared the campaign image on Instagram (which TMZ Sports spotted being liked by pro quarterback and friend to President Donald Trump, Tom Brady). NBA star Paul George also shared it on his personal account. From the gridiron, recently retired New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz shared the picture on the social media platform and wrote, “@nike always gets it right.”
Stars on the microphone also chimed in. Rap standout (and FN cover star) Fabolous wrote on Instagram, “It might be hard. Just do it. Salute @kaepernick7.”
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The sneaker community also spoke up in support of Nike and Kaepernick.
Famed sneaker boutique Social Status shared the campaign image on Instagram, stating: “Nike’s latest ad featuring @kaepernick7 speaks volumes.” Another beloved store, Undefeated, shared the compelling shot on the platform. And Sean Wotherspoon, creator of the famed corduroy Nike Air Max 97/1, also spoke up on Instagram, writing: “I couldn’t agree more! Always proud to be @nike family.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnTtoWEn92O/?taken-by=sean_wotherspoon
However, not all commentary was in favor of the announcement.
“Nike stock has opened down over $2 in premarket trading in wake of Colin Kaepernick endorsement deal. That means the decision to sign Kaepernick has already cost Nike $3 billion in market cap. $3 billion!” radio show host and TV analyst Clay Travis wrote on Twitter.
Sports journalist Jason Whitlock also weighed in on Twitter.
“Told y’all from Day One this has always been about the money. All of it. Revolutionaries aren’t sponsored by major corporations. It’s been a hustle from the giddy-up,” he wrote on the social media platform.
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