Colin Kaepernick beyond the headlines. Beyond the jersey. Beyond the kneeling, Colin shares his story behind the man who created a movement not just in football but in the world.

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

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Channing Crowder (0:24)

It feels like we've learned more about Colin Kaepernick over the last two weeks than we ever have before. The normally quiet former quarterback has had plenty to say as he releases his memoir, The Perilous Fight. We knew why he took a knee, but we knew far less about the man who made the decision to do so. The childhood that shaped him, the fraternity that molded him and the woman who helped educate him. It all led to a moment that would become etched in history. It started with a rose tree, an incident that he couldn't even share with his family. Then came a formative fandom of Allen Iverson and Randy Moss. And finally, the biography of Malcolm X. We talk young Colin, we tell Super Bowl stories, we relive why he took the knee and how he felt that message got hijacked. And maybe, most importantly, we talk about the man he is today, the husband and the father. This was a conversation long overdue and we're excited to finally have it. So please welcome Colin Kaepernick to The Pivot as he releases his memoir, The Perilous Fight.

Man, this is probably one of our most important shows to date, Colin Kaepernick, man. Welcome to The Pivot. It is truly an honor for me. This is Channing Crowder, Fred Taylor, Pivot fam. Thank y'all for pivoting with us.

I got an interesting tidbit for you.

First off, what number were you on line?

Colin Kaepernick (2:08)

Oh, Six Club.

Channing Crowder (2:10)

Six Club, all right. So, I know that your line name is Kryptonite, right? Mine is Clark Kent.

So the entire time I was on line, they would always be like Superman, because you know, they get mad if you actually know the knowledge, you know what I'm saying? Because they're trying to get after you.

Colin Kaepernick (2:28)

Oh, yeah.

Channing Crowder (2:28)

And so, they'd be making fun of me, Superman, oh, you want to know everything. And so, then when I finally crossed the burning sands, I was Clark Kent. So, I thought it was cool to read.

Colin Kaepernick (2:36)

Oh, that's amazing.

Channing Crowder (2:38)

That your line name was Kryptonite.

Colin Kaepernick (2:40)

I actually got Kryptonite for the same reason, because I always knew the knowledge, and it was like you're never going to break. So, it was like I was Kryptonite to them, because they could never get what they wanted out of me.

Channing Crowder (2:52)

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Look at him.

Colin Kaepernick (2:54)

Look.

Channing Crowder (2:55)

He always get...

Fred Taylor (2:58)

Don't tell him you're doing that, Cal.

Colin Kaepernick (3:01)

There's still time.

Channing Crowder (3:04)

But, man, Colin Kaepernick, man, The Perilous Fight, man, you finally get an opportunity to release your memoir. So many people are interested in not only the story of the last ten years, but what made the man that was willing to take a stand. I mean, you start here, just even, you know, at the beginning of the book, and I thought the story was just so interesting, just to be, you know, growing up and walking down the street and have the incident you had with the Rose tree, right? And so now you are experiencing something that you might not necessarily know how to quantify at that time. Tell me a little bit about your experience with that and what you took from it.

Colin Kaepernick (3:47)

Yeah. So, you know, giving some of the context around it. You know, at the time I was about eight years old. And, you know, it's summertime, you're out in the street, you're playing, you're constantly looking for what's next. And doing that in a predominantly white community, like that's what surrounds you. And walking home, as the streetlights are starting to come on, the sun's setting, it's like, all right, I gotta start making moves. And I see a few of the kids at the house on the way home. And there were kids I was just playing with. But they were a little bit older. I didn't know them like deeply, but they were part of the neighborhood kids. So like gnomes, see them around, play with them. I'm like, are y'all still playing? Like, we got another game going on. I'm looking for the next competition.