Colin Kaepernick to Publish Memoir 'The Perilous Fight'

The activist and former NFL quarterback's book will trace his journey from a Black kid navigating identity to a player who sparked a movement.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 3:36am by Ben Kaplan

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, shiny black leather football in dramatic studio lighting, capturing the high-contrast textures and shadows to represent the gritty, high-stakes nature of Kaepernick's journey.Kaepernick's memoir promises an intimate look at the personal and societal forces that drove his historic protest.San Francisco Today

Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who famously took a knee during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality, will be publishing his memoir 'The Perilous Fight' through Hachette Book Group's Legacy Lit imprint. The book, set to release on September 15, will offer context for Kaepernick's protest and chronicle his evolution from a young Black man navigating his identity to an athlete who realized the game was 'bigger than football.' Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016, will also narrate the audiobook version exclusively through Audible.

Why it matters

Kaepernick's kneeling protest during the national anthem in 2016 sparked a nationwide movement among professional athletes to bring awareness to social injustice and police brutality against Black Americans. His memoir will provide a firsthand account of the personal journey and broader societal issues that led to that pivotal moment, shedding light on the complexities of race, identity, and activism in American sports and culture.

The details

In his statement, Kaepernick said he wanted to offer context for his decision to take a knee, noting that 'people saw the moment, but they didn't see the years that made it possible.' The book, described as 'equal parts memoir and manifesto,' will trace Kaepernick's evolution from a young Black man navigating his identity to an athlete who realized the game was 'bigger than football.' Kaepernick played six seasons for the San Francisco 49ers, helping lead them to a Super Bowl appearance in 2013 before parting ways with the team in 2016 following his protests.

  • Kaepernick first took a knee during the national anthem in August 2016.
  • The Perilous Fight will be published on September 15, 2026, almost exactly 10 years after Kaepernick's initial protest.

The players

Colin Kaepernick

A former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers who famously took a knee during the national anthem in 2016 to protest police brutality and racial inequality, sparking a nationwide movement among professional athletes. Kaepernick has not played in the NFL since 2016 and is now publishing a memoir about his journey and the broader societal issues that led to his protest.

Hachette Book Group

The publishing company that will be releasing Kaepernick's memoir 'The Perilous Fight' through its Legacy Lit imprint.

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What they’re saying

“People saw the moment. But they didn't see the years that made it possible: the questions about who I was; the injustices I could no longer ignore; the voices of those who came before me that I carried into that stadium.”

— Colin Kaepernick

What’s next

The book is set to be released on September 15, 2026, almost exactly 10 years after Kaepernick first took a knee during the national anthem.

The takeaway

Kaepernick's memoir will provide a personal and historical account of the social justice movement he helped catalyze, offering readers a deeper understanding of the complexities of race, identity, and activism in American sports and culture.