After Surging Jersey Sales, Kaepernick Vows to Donate Proceeds to Charities

After San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick made news by refusing to stand in honor of the national anthem, the player’s once obscure jersey soared in sales. Now Kaepernick pledges to donate the sudden windfall to charity.

By the second week of September, sales of Kaepernick’s jersey soared from way down the NFL list of jerseys to number five nationwide. The meteoric rise also saw his jersey go from 20th place to first place among San Francisco 49ers players.

On September 7, Kaepernick took to his Instagram account to thanks fans for buying his jersey in such huge numbers and announced he plans to donate the extra cash to charity.

I want to thank everyone who has shown me love and support, it truly means a lot! I wasn’t expecting my jersey sales to jump to number one because of this, but it shows the people’s belief that we can achieve justice and equality for ALL! The only way I can repay you for the support is to return the favor by donating all the proceeds I receive from my jersey sales back into the communities! I believe in the people, and WE can be the change!

A photo posted by colin kaepernick (@kaepernick7) on Sep 7, 2016 at 7:22am PDT

Early in September, Kaepernick admitted that the Black Lives Matter movement inspired his protest against the country. More recently he gave a preliminary outline of his plans to support local organizations, Vibe.com reported.

“I’m currently working with organizations to be involved, and making sure I’m actively in these communities, as well as donating the first million dollars I make this year to different organizations to help these communities and help these people,” the player said. “I’ve been very blessed to be in this position and make the kind of money I do, and I have to help these people. I have to help these communities. It’s not right that they’re not put in the position to succeed, or given the opportunities to succeed.”

Despite all this, though, Kaepernick did not name any of the charities he looks to favor nor did he say what criteria he would use to determine how much “community” involvement each organization must show to be awarded his largess.

Kaepernick has taken both praise and criticism for his anti-American protest.

On the one hand, the cops have threatened to boycott working security for home games at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara because of Kaepernick’s attacks on America’s police departments. On the other hand, President Obama praised Kaepernick’s attacks on America.

“I don’t doubt his sincerity, based on what I’ve heard,” Obama told reporters at the G20 conference. “I think he cares about some real legitimate issues that have to be talked about. If nothing else what he’s done is he’s generated more conversation about some topics that need to be talked about.”

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.