Colin Kaepernick Nike Deal: Jason Whitlock's Twitter Post Criticized

Black Twitter was up in arms today over sports journalist Jason Whitlock‘s ludicrous remark on ex-quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s lucrative deal with Nike. See Also: Colin Kaepernick Featured In Nike’s ‘Just Do It’ Campaign: Twitter Rejoices And Trump Supporters Implode “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,” Whitlock tweeted on Tuesday. Not long after that tweet, Whitlock started receiving social media body blows for his remarks.

Whitlock, who is Black, was lampooned as a racial sellout for taking the side of President Donald Trump and his supporters who have disparaged Kaepernick and other Black athletes for kneeling during the national anthem. They’ve mischaracterized the protest against police brutality as Black men being unpatriotic. Kaepernick, who filed a grievance in October 2017 against the NFL, last played in the league during the 2016 season for the San Francisco 49ers. During that season, he began his protest, and other, mostly Black, players joined. After failing to secure a new contract with any team, the former Super Bowl quarterback accused the league and team owners of colluding to keep him out of football. On Aug. 30, an arbitrator sided with Kaepernick and declined to dismiss the league’s motion to dismiss his grievance. “We believe Colin is one of the most inspirational athletes of this generation, who has leveraged the power of sport to help move the world forward. We wanted to energize its meaning and introduce ‘Just Do It’ to a new generation of athletes,” Gino Fisanotti, Nike’s vice president of brand for North America, told ESPN. Nike has received some backlash for its ad campaign. However, at least two other sports apparel companies—Adidas and Puma—were waiting in the wings if Nike decided not to go through with its Kaepernick deal, Yahoo Sports reported. SEE ALSO: Aretha Franklin’s Family Offended By Eulogy, But Rev. Jasper Williams Doubles Down NFL Owners Banning Colin Kaepernick Are About To Pay For Their Racist Ways