What do you think?
Rate this book
The Perilous Fight
INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A defining and uncompromising memoir from Super Bowl quarterback and renowned civil rights activist, Colin Kaepernick.On September 1, 2016, Colin Kaepernick took a knee during “The Star Spangled Banner,” but the world never fully understood the whole story. Not the “why” or the cost of his courage. That story begins in Turlock, California, where Kaepernick, a Black kid adopted into a white family, navigated constant resistance to His Blackness and sense of self. Sports became his refuge and his proving ground, where his talent could not be questioned. The extraordinary result? A quarterback whose arm and instincts would carry him to the Super Bowl and into history books. But with success came an education he hadn’t anticipated.In the fraught world of sports politics, he saw the hidden powerhouses pulling the strings. Steeled with the readings of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Huey P. Newton, and Angela Davis, he saw in the NFL, in Turlock, in the repeated, unpunished police killings of Black and Brown Americans, an undeniable truth this was not someone else’s fight. It was his. It is ours.When Kaepernick knelt, the NFL blackballed him. But in the ten years since, the questions his protest raise have not gone away. In The Perilous Fight, Kaepernick delivers his story with the same unflinching conviction that defined his most-watched moment, a single act of protest that changed American sports and culture forever. And ultimately, it is a story about the future we are all still fighting to build.
“A candid, observant, generous chronicle of his development as an elite, suddenly dispensable NFL quarterback and also of the relentless, high-profile civil rights warrior he's become.” — Booklist Starred Review
“A candid, observant, generous chronicle of his development as an elite, suddenly dispensable NFL quarterback and also of the relentless, high-profile civil rights warrior he's become.” — Booklist Starred Review
284 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 20, 2026
★★★★☆
I finished The Perilous Fight quickly, but I’m still sorting through everything it stirred up. Colin Kaepernick’s memoir is an engaging, sometimes incendiary read—and an excellent audiobook.
I’m a football guy, and I appreciated Kaepernick’s game when he was in his prime with the 49ers. That powerful arm. The combination of strength and grace when he ran. Those were exciting teams under Jim Harbaugh.
I enjoyed learning about the young man behind the player. Intelligent, talented, fiercely competitive, and willing to work, Kaepernick benefited from adoptive parents who provided extraordinary opportunities to develop his abilities. His perseverance through injury and his leadership helped prepare him for one of the toughest jobs in sports: QB1.
Readers looking for a conventional football memoir should know that much of this book concerns political awakening, protest, and the consequences of taking a public stand. Kaepernick makes you consider what he was protesting, why he chose that platform, and what his convictions cost him.
As a white father of three sons, two of whom are Black, I brought my own perspective to these pages. My sons’ experiences are theirs to share. I will simply say that racism is real, and this book gave me plenty to think about as a father, teacher, and lifelong football coach and fan.
His account of his medical treatment is particularly troubling. Contemporary reporting supports a dispute over his shoulder diagnosis and documents subsequent surgeries, though that does not establish every allegation in the memoir. In his telling, the 49ers come off poorly. As a Bears fan, I found myself remembering Dick Butkus’s dispute with George Hales and the Bears over his care. Football inspires tremendous loyalty, but the business can be brutal.
My reservations concern Kaepernick’s tendency to put people into boxes: with him or against him. At times, his judgments seem too absolute, leaving little room for mixed motives, imperfect allies, or people who share his goals but disagree with his approach. I understand his distrust. I still wanted more nuance.
I also wanted a stronger epilogue. The ending felt rushed after such a powerful journey. Reading it, I found myself wondering whether bringing the same dedication to meditation that he brings to physical training might help him cultivate greater empathy, compassion, and gratitude. In my own practice, I’m learning how difficult—and necessary—it is to hold firm convictions while keeping an open heart. I would have welcomed more exploration of that tension in the closing pages.
Still, this is a brave, compelling book that kept my mind working long after I stopped listening and reading. I admire his courage, even when I question his conclusions. I plan to buy copies for my boys.
And the Bears should have given him a tryout.
Four stars.
https://substack.com/@lposse1
I finished The Perilous Fight quickly, but I’m still sorting through everything it stirred up. Colin Kaepernick’s memoir is an engaging, sometimes incendiary read—and an excellent audiobook.
I’m a football guy, and I appreciated Kaepernick’s game when he was in his prime with the 49ers. That powerful arm. The combination of strength and grace when he ran. Those were exciting teams under Jim Harbaugh.
I enjoyed learning about the young man behind the player. Intelligent, talented, fiercely competitive, and willing to work, Kaepernick benefited from adoptive parents who provided extraordinary opportunities to develop his abilities. His perseverance through injury and his leadership helped prepare him for one of the toughest jobs in sports: QB1.
Readers looking for a conventional football memoir should know that much of this book concerns political awakening, protest, and the consequences of taking a public stand. Kaepernick makes you consider what he was protesting, why he chose that platform, and what his convictions cost him.
As a white father of three sons, two of whom are Black, I brought my own perspective to these pages. My sons’ experiences are theirs to share. I will simply say that racism is real, and this book gave me plenty to think about as a father, teacher, and lifelong football coach and fan.
His account of his medical treatment is particularly troubling. Contemporary reporting supports a dispute over his shoulder diagnosis and documents subsequent surgeries, though that does not establish every allegation in the memoir. In his telling, the 49ers come off poorly. As a Bears fan, I found myself remembering Dick Butkus’s dispute with George Hales and the Bears over his care. Football inspires tremendous loyalty, but the business can be brutal.
My reservations concern Kaepernick’s tendency to put people into boxes: with him or against him. At times, his judgments seem too absolute, leaving little room for mixed motives, imperfect allies, or people who share his goals but disagree with his approach. I understand his distrust. I still wanted more nuance.
I also wanted a stronger epilogue. The ending felt rushed after such a powerful journey. Reading it, I found myself wondering whether bringing the same dedication to meditation that he brings to physical training might help him cultivate greater empathy, compassion, and gratitude. In my own practice, I’m learning how difficult—and necessary—it is to hold firm convictions while keeping an open heart. I would have welcomed more exploration of that tension in the closing pages.
Still, this is a brave, compelling book that kept my mind working long after I stopped listening and reading. I admire his courage, even when I question his conclusions. I plan to buy copies for my boys.
And the Bears should have given him a tryout.
Four stars.
https://substack.com/@lposse1
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
As a lifelong San Francisco Forty-Niners fan, I have had a pretty good seat from where to watch what happened with Colin Kaepernick, our former quarterback, a decade ago. I remember when he came in after QB Alex Smith was injured. I remember the excitement of watching him play and reach the Super Bowl. And I remember when he began to kneel in protest of the police violence against Black people.
As an immigrant and person of color, I knew this would have repercussions for him. But I didn't imagine he would get blacklisted out of the league and be in a situation where untalented players got to throw the ball while Colin stayed unemployed. It wasn't fair then, it isn't fair now. They allow violent players, domestic attackers to play, but they wouldn't allow someone who protested peacefully, back in the league.
Here Colin tells us all about his life, and what he has faced the whole time. Racism has followed him everywhere, but even after being basically kicked out of the NFL, Colin has never lost his spirit. I believe Colin has evolved beyond football. I believe that the work he does now is bigger than a football season or a Super Bowl win, and I know that he will be remembered as the brave man who dared to stand up, while kneeling, to one of the biggest corporate machines in the US. A million thanks to Colin and to @netgalley for allowing me to preview this book.
As an immigrant and person of color, I knew this would have repercussions for him. But I didn't imagine he would get blacklisted out of the league and be in a situation where untalented players got to throw the ball while Colin stayed unemployed. It wasn't fair then, it isn't fair now. They allow violent players, domestic attackers to play, but they wouldn't allow someone who protested peacefully, back in the league.
Here Colin tells us all about his life, and what he has faced the whole time. Racism has followed him everywhere, but even after being basically kicked out of the NFL, Colin has never lost his spirit. I believe Colin has evolved beyond football. I believe that the work he does now is bigger than a football season or a Super Bowl win, and I know that he will be remembered as the brave man who dared to stand up, while kneeling, to one of the biggest corporate machines in the US. A million thanks to Colin and to @netgalley for allowing me to preview this book.
September 14, 2026
ARC REVIEW ~ Mᴏsᴛ ᴅᴇꜰɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ᴀ Mᴜsᴛ Rᴇᴀᴅ!!!!
Hear me when I say I could not put this book down. Instead of writing a review I thought it would be more impactful to share what you’ll find inside the book. Keep in mind these statements are from an ARC. My copy may contain information or stories that did not make it to the finished copy.
Inside the book:
* Colin shares what it was like growing up Black in a white adoptive family and struggling to feel understood.
* He recalls a racist encounter with white boys that nearly cost him his life. Yet he never told his parents what happened.
*Growing up he admired Allen Iverson for having the courage to be unapologetically himself.
* At the NFL Combine, Colin says he felt like he was standing on a slave auction block. He describes the enormous control NFL coaches, executives and owners have over players…After reading this I will never see the NFL the same again!
* Reading became part of his activism. The more he read and studied, the more he understood how deep root and systemic racism is.
* Colin explains what finally led him to protest during the national anthem. He breaks the entire story down! If you’ve ever wanted to know what happened it’s all in this book.
* He shares how his life changed after taking a knee…Y’all, they did Colin so wrong!
* He shares his side of the Ray Lewis controversy involving his wife Nessa.
* Colin continued training for years after being forced to walk away from football because he still loved the sport. Also, he didn’t want to send the message that a person can lose it all by standing up for Black people.
* I was happy to learn that he sued the NFL. They settled out of court.
* He takes us on his travels through Ghana and Egypt as he deepens his understanding of history, race and the slave trade.
* We learn what went on behind the scenes of his iconic Nike “Dream Crazy” campaign.
* We also learn why he walked away from a major Gucci deal!
* He writes about his relationship with Jay-Z and how he declined Jay-Z’s invitation to kneel onstage because he didn’t want to become a mere prop. He shares his disappointment over Jay-Z’s NFL partnership and demanded his name not be used to support it.
* In the end Colin brings his story full circle as he becomes a fiercely protective father to his daughter Nyla.
Thanks to Legacy Lit for gifting me an advance readers copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hear me when I say I could not put this book down. Instead of writing a review I thought it would be more impactful to share what you’ll find inside the book. Keep in mind these statements are from an ARC. My copy may contain information or stories that did not make it to the finished copy.
Inside the book:
* Colin shares what it was like growing up Black in a white adoptive family and struggling to feel understood.
* He recalls a racist encounter with white boys that nearly cost him his life. Yet he never told his parents what happened.
*Growing up he admired Allen Iverson for having the courage to be unapologetically himself.
* At the NFL Combine, Colin says he felt like he was standing on a slave auction block. He describes the enormous control NFL coaches, executives and owners have over players…After reading this I will never see the NFL the same again!
* Reading became part of his activism. The more he read and studied, the more he understood how deep root and systemic racism is.
* Colin explains what finally led him to protest during the national anthem. He breaks the entire story down! If you’ve ever wanted to know what happened it’s all in this book.
* He shares how his life changed after taking a knee…Y’all, they did Colin so wrong!
* He shares his side of the Ray Lewis controversy involving his wife Nessa.
* Colin continued training for years after being forced to walk away from football because he still loved the sport. Also, he didn’t want to send the message that a person can lose it all by standing up for Black people.
* I was happy to learn that he sued the NFL. They settled out of court.
* He takes us on his travels through Ghana and Egypt as he deepens his understanding of history, race and the slave trade.
* We learn what went on behind the scenes of his iconic Nike “Dream Crazy” campaign.
* We also learn why he walked away from a major Gucci deal!
* He writes about his relationship with Jay-Z and how he declined Jay-Z’s invitation to kneel onstage because he didn’t want to become a mere prop. He shares his disappointment over Jay-Z’s NFL partnership and demanded his name not be used to support it.
* In the end Colin brings his story full circle as he becomes a fiercely protective father to his daughter Nyla.
Thanks to Legacy Lit for gifting me an advance readers copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2026
I am not a diehard football fan, but even I have always known that Colin Kaepernick is an excellent football quarterback. In fact, I still remember when teams would not use black quarterbacks because they felt they were not smart enough to perform in that position.
Allen Iverson, Randy Moss and Michael Vick were unapologetic heroes of Colin, who looked at black players who did not bend to conventional white culture. Adopted by white parents, Colin had to look outside the nuclear family for people to look up to.
Coaches always assumed that Black players translated to “not as smart as…” Colin was articulate with a 4.5 GPA. He did not drink or do drugs. His sole focus was his craft. He earned the respect of his teammates because he was a superb quarterback. NFL folks said to him: “I’m going to assume you’re dumb because you’re a Black athlete.”
Colin discusses the racism he encountered throughout high school, college, and throughout his professional career, starting with the San Francisco 49ers. He focuses on the many questionable police shootings of Black people in 2016 (Freddie Gray, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile). He also expanded his reading of Black people who fought against the system (Malcolm, X and Muhammad Ali).
After the 49ers downplayed several of his injuries, he had outside medical doctors review these serious situations and realized “the NFL has a far greater incentive to keep the players on the field and out of the trainers’ room.”
Colin takes the reader on his journey from taking a stand by bending a knee during the national anthem to being blackballed from the sport altogether. Even when coaches expressed interest in signing him, the owners colluded to keep him from the sport. The NFL was seemingly okay with a player being charged with murder or assault, “but they drew the line at a guy kneeling rather than standing for the national anthem.”
Colin highlights his ongoing non-profit and charitable projects, while continuing to stay in peak physical shape on the off chance that he will be able to play again. He also highlighted that “President Trump called me and other protesting players ‘sons of bitches’ during a speech in Alabama on September 22, 2017, and demanded that NFL teams fire the protesters.”
One particular story: “In its treatment of former players who were seeking financial award for suffering brain injuries, the NFL used race-norming, which assumed Black players started out with lower cognitive function than whites and other non-Blacks. That made it harder for Black players to show a deficit and qualify for an award.“
The book is stunning, not because I am unaware of the situation, but because seeing all these details definitely paints a negative picture of the NFL owners.
Colin reports “since 2016, I’ve made a decision: I don’t watch the NFL anymore. I’m not going to support them or help boost their ratings while they are actively trying to stop me from playing.
“Racism and sports are two of the most dominant and enduring features of American life.”
Allen Iverson, Randy Moss and Michael Vick were unapologetic heroes of Colin, who looked at black players who did not bend to conventional white culture. Adopted by white parents, Colin had to look outside the nuclear family for people to look up to.
Coaches always assumed that Black players translated to “not as smart as…” Colin was articulate with a 4.5 GPA. He did not drink or do drugs. His sole focus was his craft. He earned the respect of his teammates because he was a superb quarterback. NFL folks said to him: “I’m going to assume you’re dumb because you’re a Black athlete.”
Colin discusses the racism he encountered throughout high school, college, and throughout his professional career, starting with the San Francisco 49ers. He focuses on the many questionable police shootings of Black people in 2016 (Freddie Gray, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile). He also expanded his reading of Black people who fought against the system (Malcolm, X and Muhammad Ali).
After the 49ers downplayed several of his injuries, he had outside medical doctors review these serious situations and realized “the NFL has a far greater incentive to keep the players on the field and out of the trainers’ room.”
Colin takes the reader on his journey from taking a stand by bending a knee during the national anthem to being blackballed from the sport altogether. Even when coaches expressed interest in signing him, the owners colluded to keep him from the sport. The NFL was seemingly okay with a player being charged with murder or assault, “but they drew the line at a guy kneeling rather than standing for the national anthem.”
Colin highlights his ongoing non-profit and charitable projects, while continuing to stay in peak physical shape on the off chance that he will be able to play again. He also highlighted that “President Trump called me and other protesting players ‘sons of bitches’ during a speech in Alabama on September 22, 2017, and demanded that NFL teams fire the protesters.”
One particular story: “In its treatment of former players who were seeking financial award for suffering brain injuries, the NFL used race-norming, which assumed Black players started out with lower cognitive function than whites and other non-Blacks. That made it harder for Black players to show a deficit and qualify for an award.“
The book is stunning, not because I am unaware of the situation, but because seeing all these details definitely paints a negative picture of the NFL owners.
Colin reports “since 2016, I’ve made a decision: I don’t watch the NFL anymore. I’m not going to support them or help boost their ratings while they are actively trying to stop me from playing.
“Racism and sports are two of the most dominant and enduring features of American life.”
October 16, 2026
"A well paid slave is nonetheless a slave."
"Racism and sports are two of the most dominant and enduring features of American life."
Colin Kaepernick was an NFL quarterback with the San Francisco Forty Niners for 6 seasons. His professional career ended not because he was a wife abuser like Ray Rice, not because he was a rapist like Ben Roethlisberger or a serial sexual assualter like Deshaun Watson. No he lost his career because he kneeled during the national anthem. Being a danger to women isn't a problem in the NFL, being a danger to the powerful is.
He sued the NFL for collusion in keeping him out of the league, he settled but recently its been proven that collusion is indeed happening. Just a couple of weeks ago rapper Macklemore was kicked off of the tour of a cowardly little pussy Ed Sheeran because NFL owner Robert Kraft threatened to have every major league NFL stadium owner not allow the tour to continue.
Kaep and Macklemore made the horrible mistake of caring about systematic oppression and genocide,two No Nos in this world.
"Coming out of the Civil Rights movement, Republicans worked for 50 years to seize control of the mechanisms of power in the United States- the courts, the legislature, the corporate boardrooms, even the playing fields."
This book is both a fast read and an infuriating read. Colin is a Black man who was raised by racist white parents. He loves his parents but I don't know them so I can say this "Go fuck off forever". I love Kaep and while he will never play football again, I think that a good thing. Nike surprisingly comes out looking good( they are still an evil company that should be broken up or taken over by the government), they stood by him and thats unfortunately a rare thing (reference Ed Sheeran's bitch ass).
I loved this book and i highly recommend it.
P.s. Jayz and Ray Lewis are coons.
"Racism and sports are two of the most dominant and enduring features of American life."
Colin Kaepernick was an NFL quarterback with the San Francisco Forty Niners for 6 seasons. His professional career ended not because he was a wife abuser like Ray Rice, not because he was a rapist like Ben Roethlisberger or a serial sexual assualter like Deshaun Watson. No he lost his career because he kneeled during the national anthem. Being a danger to women isn't a problem in the NFL, being a danger to the powerful is.
He sued the NFL for collusion in keeping him out of the league, he settled but recently its been proven that collusion is indeed happening. Just a couple of weeks ago rapper Macklemore was kicked off of the tour of a cowardly little pussy Ed Sheeran because NFL owner Robert Kraft threatened to have every major league NFL stadium owner not allow the tour to continue.
Kaep and Macklemore made the horrible mistake of caring about systematic oppression and genocide,two No Nos in this world.
"Coming out of the Civil Rights movement, Republicans worked for 50 years to seize control of the mechanisms of power in the United States- the courts, the legislature, the corporate boardrooms, even the playing fields."
This book is both a fast read and an infuriating read. Colin is a Black man who was raised by racist white parents. He loves his parents but I don't know them so I can say this "Go fuck off forever". I love Kaep and while he will never play football again, I think that a good thing. Nike surprisingly comes out looking good( they are still an evil company that should be broken up or taken over by the government), they stood by him and thats unfortunately a rare thing (reference Ed Sheeran's bitch ass).
I loved this book and i highly recommend it.
P.s. Jayz and Ray Lewis are coons.
October 1, 2026
An excellent overview of the “‘Kaepernick controversy” with eye opening insights and experiences. This is a man that stands behind what he believes in with his whole heart, might, mind, and body. He deserves the respect of intelligent people everywhere, no matter their politics. I can almost forgive him for defeating BSU in 2010 and keeping them out of the Rose Bowl 😏. This book is well worth the read or better yet listen to him read it on Audible.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Admittedly, I’m just a curious bystander from his hometown who won an advance copy of the book and decided to give it a shot. Here are my takeaways:
-You don’t have to know anything about football to follow and enjoy it. It was interesting to see what the journey looks like from childhood standout to NFL pro. And while there is some discussion of things like gameplay and stats, those themes don’t dominate. His struggle for identity and self-actualization drives the narrative.
-You don’t have to know anything about his activism or politics to enjoy it. It reads more like a memoir than a manifesto, and even in the thick of his most controversial era, his tone is more personal than preachy. You don’t have to agree with him or his actions to understand his motivations and appreciate the power of his conviction.
-The writing style feels very authentic. I was expecting something ghostwritten—something stylistically polished and thoroughly edited. But there’s plenty of personal voice here. He mixes sharp, sophisticated, poignant prose with off-the-cuff, conversational thoughts in a way I found refreshing.
Whether you came to know him as a hometown hero, NFL player, or outspoken activist, there’s something of interest for you here... Whether you love him or hate him, you can’t deny that this man stands on business.
One final note: I hate to let the truth get in the way of a good story, but the anecdote he uses to paint our town as some racist hotbed of KKK activity was completely disingenuous. (Apparently, some kook from the backwoods 30 miles north of here tried to hold a Klan picnic down by the river in a neighboring town… IN 1983.) That did not happen here, did not happen in his lifetime, and isn’t representative of the people here.
-You don’t have to know anything about football to follow and enjoy it. It was interesting to see what the journey looks like from childhood standout to NFL pro. And while there is some discussion of things like gameplay and stats, those themes don’t dominate. His struggle for identity and self-actualization drives the narrative.
-You don’t have to know anything about his activism or politics to enjoy it. It reads more like a memoir than a manifesto, and even in the thick of his most controversial era, his tone is more personal than preachy. You don’t have to agree with him or his actions to understand his motivations and appreciate the power of his conviction.
-The writing style feels very authentic. I was expecting something ghostwritten—something stylistically polished and thoroughly edited. But there’s plenty of personal voice here. He mixes sharp, sophisticated, poignant prose with off-the-cuff, conversational thoughts in a way I found refreshing.
Whether you came to know him as a hometown hero, NFL player, or outspoken activist, there’s something of interest for you here... Whether you love him or hate him, you can’t deny that this man stands on business.
One final note: I hate to let the truth get in the way of a good story, but the anecdote he uses to paint our town as some racist hotbed of KKK activity was completely disingenuous. (Apparently, some kook from the backwoods 30 miles north of here tried to hold a Klan picnic down by the river in a neighboring town… IN 1983.) That did not happen here, did not happen in his lifetime, and isn’t representative of the people here.
September 16, 2026
KAEPERNICK’S LONG-AWAITED AUTOBIOGRAPHY
The early chapters of this 2026 book recount his early life: “I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 3, 1987. My biological mother, Heidi Russo, was 19 and broke when she got pregnant with me. She didn’t believe she was in a position to care for me, so she gave me up for adoption. My parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, adopted me … when I was five weeks old. Rick and Teresa had … a son … and a daughter… [They] were seeking a white child, but they said they were open to adopting a child of another race. When I became available, they stepped up.” (Pg. 4)
“We lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin… a midsize city of … overwhelmingly white and hardworking folks… [When] I was preschool age, we moved to Turlock, California. My father [was]… a vice president for … one of the largest cheese manufacturers in the world, while my mother was a nurse… the town was a sea of whiteness… there was often a degree of racial animus… I was the only Black boy in my kindergarten class. There was also one Black girl.” (Pg. 5) He began the book with a shocking incident at age 8 of three older white kids trying to tie him to a tree. (Pg. 1-3)
He admired Allen Iverson and Randy Moss. “I think I was drawn to them because … they were fighting for their Blackness---just as I was fighting for my Blackness in Turlock… my mother called Iverson a ‘thug’… [Iverson’s] extreme Blackness was the real issue in my house. Black culture was the issue… At eight, I was quickly developing a distaste for the status quo.” (Pg. 8-9)
He played Pop Warner. “The next season I got moved to quarterback. My father was now the head coach. I’m pretty sure he had something to do with it.” (Pg. 14) But “baseball season is when I would truly shine… The people weren’t as friendly to me as they were in football… I came to understand why: Baseball was overwhelmingly white.” (Pg. 16) After he had his hair braided, his mother said, ‘You look like a thug.’ … I was tired of fighting the hair war… I was now committed to … as much Black culture as I could find in Turlock… I didn’t braid my hair again until I was 28.” (Pg. 22)
He acknowledges, “I also knew that I had my dad in my corner… when engaging in conflicts with these white men, I had my own white man to go talk to them---a white man who was used to negotiating with other white men. If I didn’t have Rick Kaepernick in my corner, I’m not sure I would have made it to the NFL.” (Pg. 30)
When he got a driver’s license, “I had my first encounter with law enforcement… They gave me a ticket because it was four Black boys in a nice car, not because I did something wrong.” (Pg. 31) He recounts other DWB incidents. (Pg. 73-74) He wanted to date Black girls, but his mother kept trying to steer him toward white girls. (Pg. 33) But a Black girl he dated got pregnant, and falsely claimed it was his. It took multiple paternity tests before she would stop accusing him. (Pg. 48-50, 54-57, 60)
The conditions of the NFL draft Combine suggested slavery to him. “As a Black man in that situation, I was sensitive to the ramification of … such demeaning treatment… I was entering a different realm---the business of football." (Pg. 90-91) Although he had a leg injury, “When I got drafted by the Niners, I was floating on top of the world.” (Pg. 105) The NFL lockout in 2011 ‘proved to be beneficial for me… since there were no team practices, I was able to do rehab without anyone noticing that I wasn’t on the field.” (Pg. 106) He recalls, ‘Though Alex [Smith] and I were in competition for the starting job, I felt fortunate that I was battling with someone who was such a great person… During my first two years he was quite helpful to my growth.” (Pg. 127)
Eventually he became the starter, and made it to the Super Bowl. “It really f-----g hurt to lose… My life changed dramatically… leading up to the Super Bowl. I went from a backup quarterback who no one besides hardcore 49ers fans had ever heard of to a Super Bowl starting quarterback … who was recognized almost everywhere.” (Pg. 148) "in 2014, I showed my loyalty to the Niners---but it was becoming clearer… they had no interest in showing loyalty to me... there was considerable bad blood between me and the Niners front office.” (Pg. 158-159)
However, during the 2015 NBA All-Star weekend, he had “the most important moment of my life.. [A female friend] introduced me to a beautiful woman with a warm, kind smile named Nessa…. [who was] doing interviews for BET.” (Pg. 163-164) She gave him a copy of the 'Autobiography of Malcolm X,' which “turned out to be pivotal in my development intellectually. Reading Malcolm opened my eyes to the pervasiveness of white supremacy.” (Pg. 167) “I stopped drinking… During team flights, I’d be … reading a book instead of watching movies or BS’ing with my teammates… I’m reminded of the reaction that former NBA star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf got in the 1990s from his teammates when he started reading books around them… I later published his memoir… through… Kaepernick Publishing.” (Pg. 168) When he suffered a tear in his labrum, “My backup QB, Blaine Gabbert, was inserted into the starting lineup to replace me.” (Pg. 173)
He recounts, "In December 2015, tensions exploded in San Francisco … [over] footage showing the police shooting and killing a 26-year old… Mario Woods.” But his mother was cautious, and he mused, “How could she see this and not be outraged? I mean, she has a Black son. Mario Woods could easily have been me.” (Pg. 174-175) During a preseason game [he was still unable to play], for the first time he remained seated during the National Anthem. “why would I stand to honor the US when I was filled with disgust for the way this nation allows Black people to be brutalized and killed?… I hadn’t given the anthem a second’s thought before I walked out onto the field… but it hit me in that moment that … I didn’t want to stand up while that song was playing.” (Pg. 178-179) He was interviewed after the next preseason game [he could now play], and famously said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color… this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” he muses, “I had a good sense that white people would be upset… [But] I couldn’t go back to blissful ignorance. I had to do something.” (Pg. 180-181)
Before a practice, Coach Chip Kelly gave Kaepernick five minutes to “explain to the team what I was doing and why… I told my teammates how law enforcement in this country has always been an enemy of Black people, and that the American police force, particularly in the South, was created as a means to monitor, control and punish Black people. I talked about how a straight line can be drawn from the slave patrols that were formed to catch escaped slaves to the establishment of the KKK after emancipation to the modern police forces that patrol American streets today. I told them how the prison industrial complex had been created to profit from the mass incarceration of Black people. When I finished, the room was silent… After I was done, Kelly quickly brought matters back to football.” (Pg. 184-185)
“When I spoke with my Black teammates throughout that season, the majority of them told me that they agreed with me---but they would not say it publicly. I could tell they were afraid. Their silence spoke volumes about how little power professional athletes feel like they have… Players know the team could retaliate and they could lose it all if they stepped out of line. I certainly understood their reluctance.” (Pg. 185)
Before their final preseason game, his teammate Eric Reid asked him, “Where are you trying to go with this?” He added, “One of the things I’m seeing is they’re saying you’re isolating yourself, you’re not being a team player… Are you open to doing something else?” Kaepernick replied, “I’m open to any ideas you have… But … I’m not going to stand.” Reid asked, “Well, what if we take a knee? If we take a knee, we can be up there with the team… I don’t think anyone could take it as being disrespectful. Are you open to that?” Kaepernick said, “I’m good with that. Let’s do it.” (Pg. 187-188)
But then Kaepernick “had to go downstairs and meet with some guy the Niners PR staff had invited in, Nate Boyer… [who] was a retired Green Beret who had played in the NFL briefly… Eric said he would come with me to meet Boyer since we had just decided to take a knee together. We met Boyer … for about 20 minutes… We told him about our plans to take a knee… he said taking a knee made a lot of sense…. When the public address announcer asked everyone to rise… he walked over to us [and said], ‘Hey, I actually took an oath, so I can’t take a knee with y’all… I’m just gonna stand next to you.’ … It felt to me like he was there for the photo op.” (Pg. 186-187) Kaepernick notes, “In the days after the game, I was blown away when I saw Nate Boyer was all over the news… telling the world that taking a knee was his idea… A convenient narrative … made our protest more palatable. No longer was I a freethinking Black man… No, I had a white military veteran give me the path to move forward… I was outraged, incensed.” (Pg. 189)
He summarizes, “The threat of losing money wasn’t going to paralyze me with fear. The previous 18 months had been such an incredible whirlwind for me: I had met the woman of my dreams and was certain I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life, and I has unwittingly instigated a drama that in many ways would define the rest of my life.” (Pg. 191) He noted, "I saw that very few celebrities and people of prominence were willing to come out and really question the police directly… it’s more than a few bad apples… The entire institution needs to be critiqued because… modern policing grew out of the slave patrols of the south.” (Pg. 201)
He reports, “It had become clear to me that the [Niners] organization was going to try to get rid of me. I was holding fast to the protests, and … Other NFL players were kneeling.” (Pg 210) “Blaine Gabbert was named the starting quarterback of the 2016 offense as I tried to make my way back from my surgeries… the Niners had a major incentive to bench me the whole season… If I played and got hurt again, they would have to pay me my injury guarantee… I should add that the Niners didn’t seem interested in winning football games.” (Pg. 209) He adds, “I started 11 of our last 12 games that season. We won only one of those games…” (Pg. 212) “[The Niners] gave me a choice: I could opt out of my contract now, or I could wait until they cut me… if I waited for them to cut me, I’d miss the free agency window to get signed by somebody else…” (Pg. 213)
In 2017, he ‘filed a legal action against the league for collusion… the NFL agreed ... to settle the case in February 2019… the terms of the settlement are bound by a confidentiality agreement---though I can say that the amount was far from making me whole in terms of the salary I lost.” (Pg. 223, 226) Nike approached him to become the face of the ‘Dream Crazy’ campaign… I worked with my team to write the eventual tagline: ‘Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.’… the commercial finally debuted … right at the start of the [2018] NFL season.” (Pg.228-229) He observes, “What I came to understand about human behavior … is that most people are risk averse. Having seen what happened to me, high-profile individuals were likely to shy away from sticking out their necks the way I did… many of the everyday people of color who would be thinking about joining me wouldn’t be in a position economically and structurally to withstand what I’ve experienced.” (Pg. 232-233)
He states, “Since 2016, I’ve made a decision: I don’t watch the NFL anymore… When I inform people of that, some of my supporters say they feel bad because they continue to tune in… Whether to watch the NFL or not is a personal decision … but it also immediately tells me a good amount about the character of the person I’m engaging with.” (Pg. 237)
He explains, “Since I took my last snap … in 2016, I’ve focused on being prepared to return to football. One day a call might come from a team needing a QB… Since 2017, my trainer and I have worked to figure out a plan that would keep me in peak condition without putting myself at risk for injury.” (Pg. 238-239) Of course, He’s also been involved in ‘Know Your Rights’ camps (Pg. 198), a TV miniseries, ‘Colin in Black and White’ (Pg. 243) and his own publishing company (Pg. 245), as well as unsuccessful workouts with the Seattle Seahawks (Pg. 247) and even a proposed workout in front of reps from 32 teams, but they had disputes over cameras and the waiver he had to sign, and his change of location (Pg. 252-261).
The concluding chapter is a heartfelt testimonial about his wife Nessa, and their daughter Nyla. He concludes, “Being Black in American is a perilous fight. I can’t afford to back down… The world needs each of us to be willing to stand up, or sit down, or kneel, to bring about the change we long for.” (Pg. 273) [P.S. - of course, he gives a lot of details about FOOTBALL in the book, too..!]
The early chapters of this 2026 book recount his early life: “I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 3, 1987. My biological mother, Heidi Russo, was 19 and broke when she got pregnant with me. She didn’t believe she was in a position to care for me, so she gave me up for adoption. My parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick, adopted me … when I was five weeks old. Rick and Teresa had … a son … and a daughter… [They] were seeking a white child, but they said they were open to adopting a child of another race. When I became available, they stepped up.” (Pg. 4)
“We lived in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin… a midsize city of … overwhelmingly white and hardworking folks… [When] I was preschool age, we moved to Turlock, California. My father [was]… a vice president for … one of the largest cheese manufacturers in the world, while my mother was a nurse… the town was a sea of whiteness… there was often a degree of racial animus… I was the only Black boy in my kindergarten class. There was also one Black girl.” (Pg. 5) He began the book with a shocking incident at age 8 of three older white kids trying to tie him to a tree. (Pg. 1-3)
He admired Allen Iverson and Randy Moss. “I think I was drawn to them because … they were fighting for their Blackness---just as I was fighting for my Blackness in Turlock… my mother called Iverson a ‘thug’… [Iverson’s] extreme Blackness was the real issue in my house. Black culture was the issue… At eight, I was quickly developing a distaste for the status quo.” (Pg. 8-9)
He played Pop Warner. “The next season I got moved to quarterback. My father was now the head coach. I’m pretty sure he had something to do with it.” (Pg. 14) But “baseball season is when I would truly shine… The people weren’t as friendly to me as they were in football… I came to understand why: Baseball was overwhelmingly white.” (Pg. 16) After he had his hair braided, his mother said, ‘You look like a thug.’ … I was tired of fighting the hair war… I was now committed to … as much Black culture as I could find in Turlock… I didn’t braid my hair again until I was 28.” (Pg. 22)
He acknowledges, “I also knew that I had my dad in my corner… when engaging in conflicts with these white men, I had my own white man to go talk to them---a white man who was used to negotiating with other white men. If I didn’t have Rick Kaepernick in my corner, I’m not sure I would have made it to the NFL.” (Pg. 30)
When he got a driver’s license, “I had my first encounter with law enforcement… They gave me a ticket because it was four Black boys in a nice car, not because I did something wrong.” (Pg. 31) He recounts other DWB incidents. (Pg. 73-74) He wanted to date Black girls, but his mother kept trying to steer him toward white girls. (Pg. 33) But a Black girl he dated got pregnant, and falsely claimed it was his. It took multiple paternity tests before she would stop accusing him. (Pg. 48-50, 54-57, 60)
The conditions of the NFL draft Combine suggested slavery to him. “As a Black man in that situation, I was sensitive to the ramification of … such demeaning treatment… I was entering a different realm---the business of football." (Pg. 90-91) Although he had a leg injury, “When I got drafted by the Niners, I was floating on top of the world.” (Pg. 105) The NFL lockout in 2011 ‘proved to be beneficial for me… since there were no team practices, I was able to do rehab without anyone noticing that I wasn’t on the field.” (Pg. 106) He recalls, ‘Though Alex [Smith] and I were in competition for the starting job, I felt fortunate that I was battling with someone who was such a great person… During my first two years he was quite helpful to my growth.” (Pg. 127)
Eventually he became the starter, and made it to the Super Bowl. “It really f-----g hurt to lose… My life changed dramatically… leading up to the Super Bowl. I went from a backup quarterback who no one besides hardcore 49ers fans had ever heard of to a Super Bowl starting quarterback … who was recognized almost everywhere.” (Pg. 148) "in 2014, I showed my loyalty to the Niners---but it was becoming clearer… they had no interest in showing loyalty to me... there was considerable bad blood between me and the Niners front office.” (Pg. 158-159)
However, during the 2015 NBA All-Star weekend, he had “the most important moment of my life.. [A female friend] introduced me to a beautiful woman with a warm, kind smile named Nessa…. [who was] doing interviews for BET.” (Pg. 163-164) She gave him a copy of the 'Autobiography of Malcolm X,' which “turned out to be pivotal in my development intellectually. Reading Malcolm opened my eyes to the pervasiveness of white supremacy.” (Pg. 167) “I stopped drinking… During team flights, I’d be … reading a book instead of watching movies or BS’ing with my teammates… I’m reminded of the reaction that former NBA star Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf got in the 1990s from his teammates when he started reading books around them… I later published his memoir… through… Kaepernick Publishing.” (Pg. 168) When he suffered a tear in his labrum, “My backup QB, Blaine Gabbert, was inserted into the starting lineup to replace me.” (Pg. 173)
He recounts, "In December 2015, tensions exploded in San Francisco … [over] footage showing the police shooting and killing a 26-year old… Mario Woods.” But his mother was cautious, and he mused, “How could she see this and not be outraged? I mean, she has a Black son. Mario Woods could easily have been me.” (Pg. 174-175) During a preseason game [he was still unable to play], for the first time he remained seated during the National Anthem. “why would I stand to honor the US when I was filled with disgust for the way this nation allows Black people to be brutalized and killed?… I hadn’t given the anthem a second’s thought before I walked out onto the field… but it hit me in that moment that … I didn’t want to stand up while that song was playing.” (Pg. 178-179) He was interviewed after the next preseason game [he could now play], and famously said, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses Black people and people of color… this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” he muses, “I had a good sense that white people would be upset… [But] I couldn’t go back to blissful ignorance. I had to do something.” (Pg. 180-181)
Before a practice, Coach Chip Kelly gave Kaepernick five minutes to “explain to the team what I was doing and why… I told my teammates how law enforcement in this country has always been an enemy of Black people, and that the American police force, particularly in the South, was created as a means to monitor, control and punish Black people. I talked about how a straight line can be drawn from the slave patrols that were formed to catch escaped slaves to the establishment of the KKK after emancipation to the modern police forces that patrol American streets today. I told them how the prison industrial complex had been created to profit from the mass incarceration of Black people. When I finished, the room was silent… After I was done, Kelly quickly brought matters back to football.” (Pg. 184-185)
“When I spoke with my Black teammates throughout that season, the majority of them told me that they agreed with me---but they would not say it publicly. I could tell they were afraid. Their silence spoke volumes about how little power professional athletes feel like they have… Players know the team could retaliate and they could lose it all if they stepped out of line. I certainly understood their reluctance.” (Pg. 185)
Before their final preseason game, his teammate Eric Reid asked him, “Where are you trying to go with this?” He added, “One of the things I’m seeing is they’re saying you’re isolating yourself, you’re not being a team player… Are you open to doing something else?” Kaepernick replied, “I’m open to any ideas you have… But … I’m not going to stand.” Reid asked, “Well, what if we take a knee? If we take a knee, we can be up there with the team… I don’t think anyone could take it as being disrespectful. Are you open to that?” Kaepernick said, “I’m good with that. Let’s do it.” (Pg. 187-188)
But then Kaepernick “had to go downstairs and meet with some guy the Niners PR staff had invited in, Nate Boyer… [who] was a retired Green Beret who had played in the NFL briefly… Eric said he would come with me to meet Boyer since we had just decided to take a knee together. We met Boyer … for about 20 minutes… We told him about our plans to take a knee… he said taking a knee made a lot of sense…. When the public address announcer asked everyone to rise… he walked over to us [and said], ‘Hey, I actually took an oath, so I can’t take a knee with y’all… I’m just gonna stand next to you.’ … It felt to me like he was there for the photo op.” (Pg. 186-187) Kaepernick notes, “In the days after the game, I was blown away when I saw Nate Boyer was all over the news… telling the world that taking a knee was his idea… A convenient narrative … made our protest more palatable. No longer was I a freethinking Black man… No, I had a white military veteran give me the path to move forward… I was outraged, incensed.” (Pg. 189)
He summarizes, “The threat of losing money wasn’t going to paralyze me with fear. The previous 18 months had been such an incredible whirlwind for me: I had met the woman of my dreams and was certain I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life, and I has unwittingly instigated a drama that in many ways would define the rest of my life.” (Pg. 191) He noted, "I saw that very few celebrities and people of prominence were willing to come out and really question the police directly… it’s more than a few bad apples… The entire institution needs to be critiqued because… modern policing grew out of the slave patrols of the south.” (Pg. 201)
He reports, “It had become clear to me that the [Niners] organization was going to try to get rid of me. I was holding fast to the protests, and … Other NFL players were kneeling.” (Pg 210) “Blaine Gabbert was named the starting quarterback of the 2016 offense as I tried to make my way back from my surgeries… the Niners had a major incentive to bench me the whole season… If I played and got hurt again, they would have to pay me my injury guarantee… I should add that the Niners didn’t seem interested in winning football games.” (Pg. 209) He adds, “I started 11 of our last 12 games that season. We won only one of those games…” (Pg. 212) “[The Niners] gave me a choice: I could opt out of my contract now, or I could wait until they cut me… if I waited for them to cut me, I’d miss the free agency window to get signed by somebody else…” (Pg. 213)
In 2017, he ‘filed a legal action against the league for collusion… the NFL agreed ... to settle the case in February 2019… the terms of the settlement are bound by a confidentiality agreement---though I can say that the amount was far from making me whole in terms of the salary I lost.” (Pg. 223, 226) Nike approached him to become the face of the ‘Dream Crazy’ campaign… I worked with my team to write the eventual tagline: ‘Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.’… the commercial finally debuted … right at the start of the [2018] NFL season.” (Pg.228-229) He observes, “What I came to understand about human behavior … is that most people are risk averse. Having seen what happened to me, high-profile individuals were likely to shy away from sticking out their necks the way I did… many of the everyday people of color who would be thinking about joining me wouldn’t be in a position economically and structurally to withstand what I’ve experienced.” (Pg. 232-233)
He states, “Since 2016, I’ve made a decision: I don’t watch the NFL anymore… When I inform people of that, some of my supporters say they feel bad because they continue to tune in… Whether to watch the NFL or not is a personal decision … but it also immediately tells me a good amount about the character of the person I’m engaging with.” (Pg. 237)
He explains, “Since I took my last snap … in 2016, I’ve focused on being prepared to return to football. One day a call might come from a team needing a QB… Since 2017, my trainer and I have worked to figure out a plan that would keep me in peak condition without putting myself at risk for injury.” (Pg. 238-239) Of course, He’s also been involved in ‘Know Your Rights’ camps (Pg. 198), a TV miniseries, ‘Colin in Black and White’ (Pg. 243) and his own publishing company (Pg. 245), as well as unsuccessful workouts with the Seattle Seahawks (Pg. 247) and even a proposed workout in front of reps from 32 teams, but they had disputes over cameras and the waiver he had to sign, and his change of location (Pg. 252-261).
The concluding chapter is a heartfelt testimonial about his wife Nessa, and their daughter Nyla. He concludes, “Being Black in American is a perilous fight. I can’t afford to back down… The world needs each of us to be willing to stand up, or sit down, or kneel, to bring about the change we long for.” (Pg. 273) [P.S. - of course, he gives a lot of details about FOOTBALL in the book, too..!]
September 27, 2026
The highlight of reading The Perilous Fight was not simply finishing the book, but having the opportunity to meet Colin Kaepernick and have a brief conversation with him.
Kaepernick begins his story in Turlock, California, describing his experience as a Black child adopted by white parents who, in his telling, did not fully understand what it meant for him to navigate race and identity in America. He recounts microaggressions at home, including being discouraged from wearing cornrows, pressure to date white girls, and his parents’ negative views of his sports heroes, such as Randy Moss and Allen Iverson, whom they considered “rebellious” and “thuggish.” To Colin, these athletes represented something powerful—they were unapologetically Black, and that essence resonated with him.
Sports became his refuge. He excelled in both baseball and football, eventually becoming a standout college quarterback and being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. He initially played behind Alex Smith before getting his opportunity when Smith was injured. His athletic ability could not be denied, and he helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, where they ultimately lost to the Ravens.
Kaepernick describes the 2015 police shooting of Mario Woods in San Francisco as a pivotal moment that left him with feelings of deep loss, pain, and anger.
During this time, he met and began dating Nessa Diab,his now wife. She was an established and outspoken media personality and activist who championed the Black Lives Matter movement. She gifted Colin with The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which Colin stated transformed his world entirely. From there, he began reading works by Huey P. Newton, James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, and others. Those authors helped provide historical and intellectual context for experiences he had spent much of his life trying to understand and ultimately influenced his growing commitment to activism.
That evolution led to his protest during the national anthem in 2016—first sitting and later kneeling. Kaepernick explains that he could not stand for an anthem while believing that the country’s promises of liberty were not being extended equally to Black Americans amid systemic racism and police brutality. The protest generated enormous national controversy. He was widely criticized in the media, publicly singled out by then-President Trump, and became a lightning rod in a much larger cultural and political debate.
After the 2016 season, Kaepernick exercised a player option in his contract and became a free agent in 2017. Although he wanted to continue playing, he was not signed by another NFL team. In the memoir, Kaepernick describes this period as the result of collusion among NFL owners to keep him out of the league. He filed a formal grievance against the NFL in 2017 alleging collusion, while the NFL publicly maintained that roster decisions were made by individual teams.
Rather than letting the end of his playing career define him, Kaepernick channeled his energy into activism. He established Know Your Rights Camp, inspired by the Black Panther Party, and has since trained hundreds of young people, exposing them to higher education, self-empowerment, and a deeper understanding of their legal rights. He has also pledged support to organizations aligned with his values.
The Perilous Fight is a story of perseverance during persecution, finding a new path when a prior one was blocked, and transforming a single act of kneeling into a broader movement. Kaepernick candidly addresses criticism, the personal toll on him and Nessa—including death threats and betrayals—and his evolution from athlete to activist.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars because Kaepernick provided greater context for a story I thought I already knew. His memoir offers clarifying truths, a deeper understanding of his journey, and a powerful call to action for all of us to get involved in dismantling systemic racism, ending police brutality, and exercising our rights of free speech and protest to effect change.
Most importantly, his story reminds us that when one expected path is blocked, another can emerge—and sometimes that new path can become something much bigger than yourself.
Kaepernick begins his story in Turlock, California, describing his experience as a Black child adopted by white parents who, in his telling, did not fully understand what it meant for him to navigate race and identity in America. He recounts microaggressions at home, including being discouraged from wearing cornrows, pressure to date white girls, and his parents’ negative views of his sports heroes, such as Randy Moss and Allen Iverson, whom they considered “rebellious” and “thuggish.” To Colin, these athletes represented something powerful—they were unapologetically Black, and that essence resonated with him.
Sports became his refuge. He excelled in both baseball and football, eventually becoming a standout college quarterback and being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. He initially played behind Alex Smith before getting his opportunity when Smith was injured. His athletic ability could not be denied, and he helped lead the 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII, where they ultimately lost to the Ravens.
Kaepernick describes the 2015 police shooting of Mario Woods in San Francisco as a pivotal moment that left him with feelings of deep loss, pain, and anger.
During this time, he met and began dating Nessa Diab,his now wife. She was an established and outspoken media personality and activist who championed the Black Lives Matter movement. She gifted Colin with The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which Colin stated transformed his world entirely. From there, he began reading works by Huey P. Newton, James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, and others. Those authors helped provide historical and intellectual context for experiences he had spent much of his life trying to understand and ultimately influenced his growing commitment to activism.
That evolution led to his protest during the national anthem in 2016—first sitting and later kneeling. Kaepernick explains that he could not stand for an anthem while believing that the country’s promises of liberty were not being extended equally to Black Americans amid systemic racism and police brutality. The protest generated enormous national controversy. He was widely criticized in the media, publicly singled out by then-President Trump, and became a lightning rod in a much larger cultural and political debate.
After the 2016 season, Kaepernick exercised a player option in his contract and became a free agent in 2017. Although he wanted to continue playing, he was not signed by another NFL team. In the memoir, Kaepernick describes this period as the result of collusion among NFL owners to keep him out of the league. He filed a formal grievance against the NFL in 2017 alleging collusion, while the NFL publicly maintained that roster decisions were made by individual teams.
Rather than letting the end of his playing career define him, Kaepernick channeled his energy into activism. He established Know Your Rights Camp, inspired by the Black Panther Party, and has since trained hundreds of young people, exposing them to higher education, self-empowerment, and a deeper understanding of their legal rights. He has also pledged support to organizations aligned with his values.
The Perilous Fight is a story of perseverance during persecution, finding a new path when a prior one was blocked, and transforming a single act of kneeling into a broader movement. Kaepernick candidly addresses criticism, the personal toll on him and Nessa—including death threats and betrayals—and his evolution from athlete to activist.
I rated this book 5 out of 5 stars because Kaepernick provided greater context for a story I thought I already knew. His memoir offers clarifying truths, a deeper understanding of his journey, and a powerful call to action for all of us to get involved in dismantling systemic racism, ending police brutality, and exercising our rights of free speech and protest to effect change.
Most importantly, his story reminds us that when one expected path is blocked, another can emerge—and sometimes that new path can become something much bigger than yourself.
October 13, 2026
In a world where morals and values are increasingly hard to identify and heroes are difficult to find, Colin Kaepernick stood out as a brave young man who was willing to protest for fairness and equality by kneeling down during the national anthem. It was a courageous, symbolic act misunderstood by many people. This was never about disrespecting the US or its servicemen. It was about taking the biggest symbol of the US, its flag, and insisting that it represents all Americans regardless of race. For those principals, Kapernick sacrificed his career as an NFL quarterback. This is a story that had to be told in his own words.
September 27, 2026
I truly enjoyed reading Colin's story. As a big fan of college football and a mild fan (even less now) of the NFL, and someone who has followed his story in the press over the last 10+ years, it was really great to finally hear his perspective and see the situation from his eyes. I also watched his film Colin in Black & White a couple of years ago too.
Colin starts his story as a boy experiencing racism for the first time in his hometown of Turlock, CA, and takes you through his relationships with sports, his family, teammates, his partner, and the NFL, with stories that highlight his experiences throughout. As a fan and a Black person in the US, many of us could see what was happening to him, but to get what I believe is the true tea from Colin was truly insightful.
This was great on audio as Colin reads the audiobook himself and I think a great read for teenage boys.
Colin starts his story as a boy experiencing racism for the first time in his hometown of Turlock, CA, and takes you through his relationships with sports, his family, teammates, his partner, and the NFL, with stories that highlight his experiences throughout. As a fan and a Black person in the US, many of us could see what was happening to him, but to get what I believe is the true tea from Colin was truly insightful.
This was great on audio as Colin reads the audiobook himself and I think a great read for teenage boys.
September 17, 2026
This man! I have so much respect. The world needs more Colin Kaepernicks.
I don’t like football at all, and I loved this book. I think anyone who wants to hear Colin’s perspective on his story will like this. He comes across as a very thoughtful, intelligent, astute person. I really appreciated hearing his take on all the events that I saw second-hand in the media during the height of his taking-a-knee fame.
Perhaps the only surprising aspect of this book was his discussion of his parents and family. His tone and messages come across almost as if he is estranged from them now, or very, very distant from them now. I have no idea what their relationship status is *because* he didn’t say. He definitely discusses the difficulties of growing up black in a white family, and he discusses some specific pain points about that. But by the end of the book, the tone is sounding almost like he barely has contact with them anymore, but I don’t know because he didn’t speak to their current level of contact at all.
In fairness, the other surprising-to-me aspect was that he had a 4.5 GPA in high school.
Spoiler: “The perilous fight” is being black in America.
Sidenote: I listened to the audio of this, which was narrated by Kaepernick himself. To my surprise, I had to set the speed about .5 to .35 slower than I normally do for most audiobooks. In other words, Colin was a faster speaker than the average audiobook narrator, IMO. As a fairly high volume audiobook consumer, I thought this was interesting!
I don’t like football at all, and I loved this book. I think anyone who wants to hear Colin’s perspective on his story will like this. He comes across as a very thoughtful, intelligent, astute person. I really appreciated hearing his take on all the events that I saw second-hand in the media during the height of his taking-a-knee fame.
Perhaps the only surprising aspect of this book was his discussion of his parents and family. His tone and messages come across almost as if he is estranged from them now, or very, very distant from them now. I have no idea what their relationship status is *because* he didn’t say. He definitely discusses the difficulties of growing up black in a white family, and he discusses some specific pain points about that. But by the end of the book, the tone is sounding almost like he barely has contact with them anymore, but I don’t know because he didn’t speak to their current level of contact at all.
In fairness, the other surprising-to-me aspect was that he had a 4.5 GPA in high school.
Spoiler: “The perilous fight” is being black in America.
Sidenote: I listened to the audio of this, which was narrated by Kaepernick himself. To my surprise, I had to set the speed about .5 to .35 slower than I normally do for most audiobooks. In other words, Colin was a faster speaker than the average audiobook narrator, IMO. As a fairly high volume audiobook consumer, I thought this was interesting!
September 29, 2026
I walked away from this book with a much deeper understanding of Colin Kaepernick, why he chose to kneel, and what he was truly fighting for—the injustice surrounding police killings of Black people.
For a league made up largely of Black players, I still believe he should have received far more support from his fellow players. His protest was never about disrespecting the flag or the military, yet his message was twisted into something it was never intended to be.
Years later, we are still having conversations about injustice, police violence, and the treatment of Black people in America. That makes his decision to take a stand—or, more accurately, take a knee—feel even more significant.
I’m glad I took the time to read his side of the story instead of relying on the narrative that was created around him. Whether people agreed with his method or not, he was willing to risk his career and reputation for something he believed was bigger than himself.
He stood for something.
An excellent and thought-provoking read.
For a league made up largely of Black players, I still believe he should have received far more support from his fellow players. His protest was never about disrespecting the flag or the military, yet his message was twisted into something it was never intended to be.
Years later, we are still having conversations about injustice, police violence, and the treatment of Black people in America. That makes his decision to take a stand—or, more accurately, take a knee—feel even more significant.
I’m glad I took the time to read his side of the story instead of relying on the narrative that was created around him. Whether people agreed with his method or not, he was willing to risk his career and reputation for something he believed was bigger than himself.
He stood for something.
An excellent and thought-provoking read.
September 24, 2026
That opening chapter recounting what happened to Kapernick when he was 8 broke my heart💔. I remember being 16 and seeing him take a stand on that football field, and it made me want to protest the crimes in America forever.
October 1, 2026
There is so much I want to say about this book, but my words can never do it justice. Colin Kaepernick is a hero to me, and he was before I read this book, but he's that x 10 after finishing the book. Just read the book! It's phenomenal on so many levels.
September 28, 2026
My biggest takeaway from this book was a huge admiration for Colin’s steadfastness in his beliefs and bravery in the face of such powerful oppressors.
There’s also incredible perspective from him on such great things. He speaks about being so happy to know exactly where he stood with people in his life. You don’t have to guess, when some people are more concerned with their bottom line than their integrity.
I was so impressed with Colin’s passion for american football. It was such a delight to read about his journey to a dream come true.
I also couldn’t help but feel an incredible sadness for Colin, being that he felt misunderstood by his family, most of his life. It can’t have been easy at all. I wanted to hear more about where his relationship with his parents is now, with everything that has happened. I loved the way he talked about his approach to his marriage with Nessa and being a father in this world today.
This was very well told.
There’s also incredible perspective from him on such great things. He speaks about being so happy to know exactly where he stood with people in his life. You don’t have to guess, when some people are more concerned with their bottom line than their integrity.
I was so impressed with Colin’s passion for american football. It was such a delight to read about his journey to a dream come true.
I also couldn’t help but feel an incredible sadness for Colin, being that he felt misunderstood by his family, most of his life. It can’t have been easy at all. I wanted to hear more about where his relationship with his parents is now, with everything that has happened. I loved the way he talked about his approach to his marriage with Nessa and being a father in this world today.
This was very well told.
September 24, 2026
I was underlining sentences like I did in textbooks as a college student. The man is principled !! Moral of the story? You can’t whitewash your adopted black/biracial child because society won’t. Great read !!
September 27, 2026
Highly engaging story of Colin Kaepernick's development as a man, athlete, activist, and husband.
September 8, 2026
Where to Read: available September 15, 2026. Order your copy here: www.hachettebookgroup.com or https://amzn.to/4yhCjGT
RAVING REVIEW: For almost a decade, there’s been one image that’s followed Colin Kaepernick everywhere. Kneeling on an NFL sideline during the national anthem. THE PERILOUS FIGHT gives him enough room to tell the much larger story surrounding that moment. Kaepernick goes back to his childhood, his relationship with race and identity, his obsessive love of sports, his rise through college football, the Super Bowl years, his growing political awareness, his activism, and the life he’s continued building since leaving the NFL.
That perspective is what makes the memoir so compelling. Kaepernick doesn't begin with the controversy everyone remembers. He begins as a kid in Turlock, California, growing up Black in a white adoptive family and in a community where he was often one of very few Black children around him. Some of these early experiences are understandably painful, including encounters with racism that he didn't even feel comfortable discussing at home. They're essential to understanding how he learned to protect parts of himself.
His parents are presented with considerably more complexity than a simple good-or-bad judgment would allow. Kaepernick understands that he was loved, supported, and given opportunities, while also recognizing that his family didn't always understand parts of his identity. His memories of wanting cornrows, embracing Black athletes and culture, and trying to figure out where he fit in give the opening chapters a surprisingly intimate quality.
Allen Iverson and Randy Moss become particularly important figures for him during those years. Kaepernick saw athletes who were talented enough that nobody could ignore them and unapologetically Black enough that they didn't appear interested in making everyone around them comfortable. Long before he had the understanding to explain why that mattered, he recognized something in them that he wanted for himself.
Sports gave him somewhere to put all of that energy. Baseball, basketball, and football each occupy real space in the memoir rather than serving as a quick montage before the NFL. Kaepernick was a terrific baseball player and could easily have continued down that path. Football gradually became the place where his combination of intelligence, competitiveness, and unusual athletic ability fit best.
His road to the University of Nevada is one of the book's most enjoyable stretches because it captures how uncertain his future once was. He wasn't always the obvious quarterback prospect schools were fighting over. When Nevada coach Chris Ault finally offered him the chance to play Division I football, Kaepernick describes the relief of knowing all of that work had led somewhere.
Those chapters also make it obvious how much he simply loves football. It's easy for everything that happened later to overshadow that part of his story, but THE PERILOUS FIGHT never does. Kaepernick loves competition, loves learning how offenses work, loves challenging himself, and loves figuring out how to beat whatever is in front of him. By the time Nevada developed into a nationally relevant program, you understand how much of his identity has been built around getting better every day.
Kaepernick recounts being drafted by San Francisco, learning behind Alex Smith and eventually taking over as the 49ers' starting quarterback under Jim Harbaugh. Those seasons include a Super Bowl appearance, another trip to the NFC Championship Game, and some remarkable individual performances, including his record-setting rushing game against Green Bay. They're also some of the best football sections in the book because Kaepernick can explain the sport without making it inaccessible. He talks about routes, coaches, defenses, contracts, injuries, and locker-room dynamics with the perspective of someone who spent his life thinking about the game.
THE PERILOUS FIGHT gradually begins connecting that athlete to the activist people know. Meeting Nessa becomes enormously important, not simply because of their relationship but because she challenges him intellectually. She gives him THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X, which leads him toward James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, Huey P. Newton, and other writers who gave him new ways of understanding experiences he'd carried for years. I loved that Kaepernick presents this as an evolution rather than pretending he emerged from childhood with every part of him already formed. He looks back at earlier experiences with new information and realizes that things he once accepted without understanding now look completely different.
Football and that awakening eventually collide during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Kaepernick, recovering from multiple injuries while watching the killings of Black Americans dominate the news, finds his frustration keeps growing. By the time he first remains seated during the national anthem for the first time, the decision never feels like the beginning of this story. It feels like the latest step in something that has been building across most of his life.
The details surrounding the protest are fascinating, especially because years of repetition have tried to simplify some of them. Kaepernick initially sat during the anthem before teammate Eric Reid suggested kneeling instead, letting them stay with the team while maintaining the protest. Their conversations about what they were trying to say give one of modern sports' most famous images a much more personal context.
THE PERILOUS FIGHT captures the speed with which Kaepernick stopped being discussed primarily as a quarterback and became a national symbol. Teammates, fans, politicians, journalists, veterans, activists, and strangers suddenly had strong opinions about him, often without ever speaking to him. He recounts support alongside hostility, private conversations alongside public reactions, and the surreal experience of watching people debate his intentions everywhere he looked. What really strengthens this portion of the memoir is that Kaepernick doesn't treat kneeling as an accomplishment. He was already thinking about how to turn his concerns into something. The Know Your Rights Camps grew from conversations about helping young people in Black and Brown communities understand their rights, health, education, and opportunities, eventually expanding into multiple cities and reaching thousands of young people.
That helps bridge the book into life beyond football. Kaepernick discusses donating money to organizations doing the work to help communities, supporting legal-defense efforts, creating educational resources, and building programs designed to last beyond a news cycle. There's a consistent desire throughout these chapters to turn attention into something more than just allowing the protest itself to become the end of the story.
His attempts to return to the NFL receive attention as well, and they belong here because football never stopped mattering to him. Kaepernick continued training, participated in workouts, and pursued opportunities with several organizations years after his final regular-season game. Whether he's describing the unusual 2019 workout organized by the league or later training sessions with NFL receivers, his determination to remain ready sounds remarkably similar to the kid earlier in the book who refused to stop working until somebody gave him a chance.
Eventually, though, his work with Ava DuVernay on COLIN IN BLACK & WHITE gives him another way to tell his story, and his experiences with publishing lead to the creation of Kaepernick Publishing. He becomes increasingly interested in who gets to tell stories, who controls them, and how Black and Brown writers can have greater ownership over their work. That makes THE PERILOUS FIGHT itself feel like another extension of that moment. Kaepernick spent years being explained by broadcasters, columnists, politicians, and people arguing online. Here, he has a book of his own to connect experiences that were often reduced to headlines, and the book benefits enormously from having enough space to do it.
The closing chapters bring the story to a much more personal experience. Kaepernick writes about marrying Nessa, becoming a father, and discovering how parenthood changed his understanding of responsibility. His concerns about education, safety, and equality stop being just intellectual questions when he begins thinking about the world his daughter will grow up in.
It also brings the memoir back toward childhood. Kaepernick begins THE PERILOUS FIGHT as a kid trying to understand himself while surrounded by people who couldn't explain the world he was experiencing. He ends it thinking about what kind of world the next generation deserves and how adults can give children the knowledge, security, and opportunities they need much earlier. That balance makes the book such a rewarding read. The quarterback part matters; the child in Turlock matters. The son trying to understand his family matters. The young man discovering Black history matters. The activist matters. The businessman, publisher, husband, and father matter too. None of those versions replaces the others.
THE PERILOUS FIGHT allows all of them to exist in the same story. You don't have to be invested in football to appreciate it, although fans will find plenty here as well, and you don't need to approach it as purely political either. At its best, it's a memoir about a person figuring out who he is, what he believes, and what he's willing to do once those two things become impossible to separate. The kneeling is part of that story, but after reading the book, it feels less like the moment that created Colin Kaepernick and more like the moment the rest of the world finally started paying attention.
Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.
You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also find my social media accounts on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.
I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.
RAVING REVIEW: For almost a decade, there’s been one image that’s followed Colin Kaepernick everywhere. Kneeling on an NFL sideline during the national anthem. THE PERILOUS FIGHT gives him enough room to tell the much larger story surrounding that moment. Kaepernick goes back to his childhood, his relationship with race and identity, his obsessive love of sports, his rise through college football, the Super Bowl years, his growing political awareness, his activism, and the life he’s continued building since leaving the NFL.
That perspective is what makes the memoir so compelling. Kaepernick doesn't begin with the controversy everyone remembers. He begins as a kid in Turlock, California, growing up Black in a white adoptive family and in a community where he was often one of very few Black children around him. Some of these early experiences are understandably painful, including encounters with racism that he didn't even feel comfortable discussing at home. They're essential to understanding how he learned to protect parts of himself.
His parents are presented with considerably more complexity than a simple good-or-bad judgment would allow. Kaepernick understands that he was loved, supported, and given opportunities, while also recognizing that his family didn't always understand parts of his identity. His memories of wanting cornrows, embracing Black athletes and culture, and trying to figure out where he fit in give the opening chapters a surprisingly intimate quality.
Allen Iverson and Randy Moss become particularly important figures for him during those years. Kaepernick saw athletes who were talented enough that nobody could ignore them and unapologetically Black enough that they didn't appear interested in making everyone around them comfortable. Long before he had the understanding to explain why that mattered, he recognized something in them that he wanted for himself.
Sports gave him somewhere to put all of that energy. Baseball, basketball, and football each occupy real space in the memoir rather than serving as a quick montage before the NFL. Kaepernick was a terrific baseball player and could easily have continued down that path. Football gradually became the place where his combination of intelligence, competitiveness, and unusual athletic ability fit best.
His road to the University of Nevada is one of the book's most enjoyable stretches because it captures how uncertain his future once was. He wasn't always the obvious quarterback prospect schools were fighting over. When Nevada coach Chris Ault finally offered him the chance to play Division I football, Kaepernick describes the relief of knowing all of that work had led somewhere.
Those chapters also make it obvious how much he simply loves football. It's easy for everything that happened later to overshadow that part of his story, but THE PERILOUS FIGHT never does. Kaepernick loves competition, loves learning how offenses work, loves challenging himself, and loves figuring out how to beat whatever is in front of him. By the time Nevada developed into a nationally relevant program, you understand how much of his identity has been built around getting better every day.
Kaepernick recounts being drafted by San Francisco, learning behind Alex Smith and eventually taking over as the 49ers' starting quarterback under Jim Harbaugh. Those seasons include a Super Bowl appearance, another trip to the NFC Championship Game, and some remarkable individual performances, including his record-setting rushing game against Green Bay. They're also some of the best football sections in the book because Kaepernick can explain the sport without making it inaccessible. He talks about routes, coaches, defenses, contracts, injuries, and locker-room dynamics with the perspective of someone who spent his life thinking about the game.
THE PERILOUS FIGHT gradually begins connecting that athlete to the activist people know. Meeting Nessa becomes enormously important, not simply because of their relationship but because she challenges him intellectually. She gives him THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X, which leads him toward James Baldwin, Frantz Fanon, Huey P. Newton, and other writers who gave him new ways of understanding experiences he'd carried for years. I loved that Kaepernick presents this as an evolution rather than pretending he emerged from childhood with every part of him already formed. He looks back at earlier experiences with new information and realizes that things he once accepted without understanding now look completely different.
Football and that awakening eventually collide during the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Kaepernick, recovering from multiple injuries while watching the killings of Black Americans dominate the news, finds his frustration keeps growing. By the time he first remains seated during the national anthem for the first time, the decision never feels like the beginning of this story. It feels like the latest step in something that has been building across most of his life.
The details surrounding the protest are fascinating, especially because years of repetition have tried to simplify some of them. Kaepernick initially sat during the anthem before teammate Eric Reid suggested kneeling instead, letting them stay with the team while maintaining the protest. Their conversations about what they were trying to say give one of modern sports' most famous images a much more personal context.
THE PERILOUS FIGHT captures the speed with which Kaepernick stopped being discussed primarily as a quarterback and became a national symbol. Teammates, fans, politicians, journalists, veterans, activists, and strangers suddenly had strong opinions about him, often without ever speaking to him. He recounts support alongside hostility, private conversations alongside public reactions, and the surreal experience of watching people debate his intentions everywhere he looked. What really strengthens this portion of the memoir is that Kaepernick doesn't treat kneeling as an accomplishment. He was already thinking about how to turn his concerns into something. The Know Your Rights Camps grew from conversations about helping young people in Black and Brown communities understand their rights, health, education, and opportunities, eventually expanding into multiple cities and reaching thousands of young people.
That helps bridge the book into life beyond football. Kaepernick discusses donating money to organizations doing the work to help communities, supporting legal-defense efforts, creating educational resources, and building programs designed to last beyond a news cycle. There's a consistent desire throughout these chapters to turn attention into something more than just allowing the protest itself to become the end of the story.
His attempts to return to the NFL receive attention as well, and they belong here because football never stopped mattering to him. Kaepernick continued training, participated in workouts, and pursued opportunities with several organizations years after his final regular-season game. Whether he's describing the unusual 2019 workout organized by the league or later training sessions with NFL receivers, his determination to remain ready sounds remarkably similar to the kid earlier in the book who refused to stop working until somebody gave him a chance.
Eventually, though, his work with Ava DuVernay on COLIN IN BLACK & WHITE gives him another way to tell his story, and his experiences with publishing lead to the creation of Kaepernick Publishing. He becomes increasingly interested in who gets to tell stories, who controls them, and how Black and Brown writers can have greater ownership over their work. That makes THE PERILOUS FIGHT itself feel like another extension of that moment. Kaepernick spent years being explained by broadcasters, columnists, politicians, and people arguing online. Here, he has a book of his own to connect experiences that were often reduced to headlines, and the book benefits enormously from having enough space to do it.
The closing chapters bring the story to a much more personal experience. Kaepernick writes about marrying Nessa, becoming a father, and discovering how parenthood changed his understanding of responsibility. His concerns about education, safety, and equality stop being just intellectual questions when he begins thinking about the world his daughter will grow up in.
It also brings the memoir back toward childhood. Kaepernick begins THE PERILOUS FIGHT as a kid trying to understand himself while surrounded by people who couldn't explain the world he was experiencing. He ends it thinking about what kind of world the next generation deserves and how adults can give children the knowledge, security, and opportunities they need much earlier. That balance makes the book such a rewarding read. The quarterback part matters; the child in Turlock matters. The son trying to understand his family matters. The young man discovering Black history matters. The activist matters. The businessman, publisher, husband, and father matter too. None of those versions replaces the others.
THE PERILOUS FIGHT allows all of them to exist in the same story. You don't have to be invested in football to appreciate it, although fans will find plenty here as well, and you don't need to approach it as purely political either. At its best, it's a memoir about a person figuring out who he is, what he believes, and what he's willing to do once those two things become impossible to separate. The kneeling is part of that story, but after reading the book, it feels less like the moment that created Colin Kaepernick and more like the moment the rest of the world finally started paying attention.
Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.
You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. You can also find my social media accounts on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.
I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.
October 3, 2026
As a diehard NFL fan, Colin Kaepernick's protest has always struck a chord with me. The NFL is a league where most players are people of color, while team ownership remains overwhelmingly white and concentrated among a small group of wealthy individuals. Because of that dynamic, I have always been intrigued by the controversy surrounding his protest and the way he was treated by the NFL. After reading his story, I came away with a deep sense of admiration for him, not just as an athlete, but as a man of conviction, courage, and integrity.
This memoir is heartfelt, powerful, and beautifully written. Kaepernick draws readers into his experiences in a way that feels personal and authentic, allowing us to better understand the moments that shaped his values, beliefs, and identity. More than anything, I appreciated how honest and vulnerable he was throughout the book. His willingness to share both his struggles and triumphs makes this a deeply engaging and relatable read.
What resonated with me most was Kaepernick's willingness to confront difficult truths and challenge readers to do the same. He does not shy away from discussing systemic racism or the painful legacy of slavery in America. Instead, he thoughtfully explores how those historical realities continue to influence society today. His reflections are insightful, thought-provoking, and often deeply moving. I found his perspective especially compelling because of his unique background as a biracial man who was adopted and raised by white parents, which gives him a distinctive lens through which to examine identity, race, and belonging. More than anything, I was struck by the courage he displayed when he chose to stand up for his beliefs, fully aware that doing so could jeopardize the career he had spent his entire life pursuing. That willingness to sacrifice personal success in order to remain true to his convictions speaks volumes about his character and is ultimately what makes his story so powerful, inspiring, and unforgettable.
As I read, I found myself reflecting on how difficult it must be to be told to make yourself smaller, stay quiet, or hide your beliefs because they make others uncomfortable. Kaepernick refused to do that. Instead, he remained steadfast in his convictions, even when doing so came at an enormous personal and professional cost. That unwavering commitment to standing up for what he believed was right is what I admire most about him.
By the final page, I had gained a much deeper understanding of who Colin Kaepernick is as a person and why his beliefs are so firmly grounded. What began as curiosity about the man behind the headlines turned into genuine admiration for his courage, conviction, and unwavering commitment to his principles. More than a memoir about football, this is a powerful story about identity, resilience, and the sacrifices that often come with standing up for what you believe is right. Kaepernick's honesty and vulnerability make his journey feel deeply personal, while his willingness to risk everything for his convictions makes it truly inspiring. His story challenged me, encouraged me, and reminded me that meaningful change often begins when someone is willing to take a stand, even when the personal cost is high.
By the time I finished the book, I was not only a fan of his story but also of the values he represents. This is a thought-provoking, moving, and unforgettable memoir that will stay with me long after the final page.
Highly recommended
This memoir is heartfelt, powerful, and beautifully written. Kaepernick draws readers into his experiences in a way that feels personal and authentic, allowing us to better understand the moments that shaped his values, beliefs, and identity. More than anything, I appreciated how honest and vulnerable he was throughout the book. His willingness to share both his struggles and triumphs makes this a deeply engaging and relatable read.
What resonated with me most was Kaepernick's willingness to confront difficult truths and challenge readers to do the same. He does not shy away from discussing systemic racism or the painful legacy of slavery in America. Instead, he thoughtfully explores how those historical realities continue to influence society today. His reflections are insightful, thought-provoking, and often deeply moving. I found his perspective especially compelling because of his unique background as a biracial man who was adopted and raised by white parents, which gives him a distinctive lens through which to examine identity, race, and belonging. More than anything, I was struck by the courage he displayed when he chose to stand up for his beliefs, fully aware that doing so could jeopardize the career he had spent his entire life pursuing. That willingness to sacrifice personal success in order to remain true to his convictions speaks volumes about his character and is ultimately what makes his story so powerful, inspiring, and unforgettable.
As I read, I found myself reflecting on how difficult it must be to be told to make yourself smaller, stay quiet, or hide your beliefs because they make others uncomfortable. Kaepernick refused to do that. Instead, he remained steadfast in his convictions, even when doing so came at an enormous personal and professional cost. That unwavering commitment to standing up for what he believed was right is what I admire most about him.
By the final page, I had gained a much deeper understanding of who Colin Kaepernick is as a person and why his beliefs are so firmly grounded. What began as curiosity about the man behind the headlines turned into genuine admiration for his courage, conviction, and unwavering commitment to his principles. More than a memoir about football, this is a powerful story about identity, resilience, and the sacrifices that often come with standing up for what you believe is right. Kaepernick's honesty and vulnerability make his journey feel deeply personal, while his willingness to risk everything for his convictions makes it truly inspiring. His story challenged me, encouraged me, and reminded me that meaningful change often begins when someone is willing to take a stand, even when the personal cost is high.
By the time I finished the book, I was not only a fan of his story but also of the values he represents. This is a thought-provoking, moving, and unforgettable memoir that will stay with me long after the final page.
Highly recommended
October 11, 2026
I’m glad I read this book which was a great remedy to all the propaganda, politics and hatred that surrounded this young man’s efforts to make people address the issue of police brutality. He paid a heavy price, being blackballed by the NFL but after reading the book I wonder if this may actually be better for his health in the long run. The accounts of his injuries and the pressure to play while seriously hurt makes me wonder even more than I already did about whether anyone should play NFL football under the current rules and conditions. But they should have the right to be considered on the basis of their abilities whether or not they want to stand or sit or kneel during the National Anthem. And he should never have been denied that right.
September 27, 2026
So happy to finally read this one! Colin's story is quite remarkable even though I don't follow or know much about the game, his origins are completely relatable including both of us starting life in Milwaukee before moving away! And of course, he is incredibly brave. I find his Scorpio moments, especially as a kid, the best parts to learn about.
That said, in terms of craft, this book probably felt really good to get some truths out of his system about who REALLY said and did what when. And just how hard he goes for his values, going toe to toe with his family, a music mogul, or the entire NFL. Childhood to present is a lot of ground to cover, obvs, so Perilous Fight reads more like a highlight reel of his life sort of play by play, almost like checking off a list of chronological points he had to cover. I personally found the scores and litany of teams and coaches sort of boring, but then again I don't know football, so maybe people who do will appreciate that part of it. But we are not going to see any real craft/eloquence here or structural intent weaving story with imagery such as we would say, with someone like Malcolm Gladwell's prose.
Credit for pace, organization, and the precision of prose no doubt goes largely to Nick Chiles, Pulitzer winning journalist and Colin's co-author.
All that said, it is a very important read, no matter how you feel about CK. He is now part of the living tapestry of American history, and his persistence is admirable and an inspiration.
That said, in terms of craft, this book probably felt really good to get some truths out of his system about who REALLY said and did what when. And just how hard he goes for his values, going toe to toe with his family, a music mogul, or the entire NFL. Childhood to present is a lot of ground to cover, obvs, so Perilous Fight reads more like a highlight reel of his life sort of play by play, almost like checking off a list of chronological points he had to cover. I personally found the scores and litany of teams and coaches sort of boring, but then again I don't know football, so maybe people who do will appreciate that part of it. But we are not going to see any real craft/eloquence here or structural intent weaving story with imagery such as we would say, with someone like Malcolm Gladwell's prose.
Credit for pace, organization, and the precision of prose no doubt goes largely to Nick Chiles, Pulitzer winning journalist and Colin's co-author.
All that said, it is a very important read, no matter how you feel about CK. He is now part of the living tapestry of American history, and his persistence is admirable and an inspiration.
October 25, 2026
I decided to read this after listening to him on Trevor Noah’s podcast. I can’t wait for the NFL’s day of reckoning.
October 17, 2026
I finished The Perilous Fight by Colin Kaepernick in two sittings, in less than 24 hours.
5 out of 5 stars. Easily.
I first heard about the book when Colin was a guest on Who's With Me?, a podcast hosted by W. Kamau Bell. By the way, if you haven't listened to that podcast, I highly recommend it.
Like most people, I was familiar with Colin's decision to kneel during the national anthem, the controversy that followed, and the Nike campaign. But there is so much more to his story that I didn't know.
The book gives us a look at his upbringing, his experiences with racism, his journey to becoming an NFL quarterback, and the events that shaped his decision to use his platform to speak out against injustice.
I've thought a lot about leadership over the years, particularly what it means to stand by your principles when doing so comes at a personal cost.
Colin Kaepernick spent his entire life working toward a career in professional football. He made it to the NFL, became a starting quarterback, and led his team to the Super Bowl.
And then he took a stand against something he believed was wrong, knowing full well that it could jeopardize everything he had worked for.
He hasn't played another game in the NFL since the 2016 season.
I have an enormous amount of respect for that kind of conviction. It's easy to talk about standing up for what you believe in when you have nothing to lose. How many of us would be willing to do the same knowing it could cost us our careers?
There's something else about this story that really bothers me.
We grow up learning about the importance of protest in American history. We're taught to admire those who challenged injustice, even when doing so was unpopular. We celebrate their courage and credit them with helping make this country better.
Yet when Kaepernick peacefully protested police violence against Black Americans, he was called unpatriotic. People burned his jerseys. The President of the United States publicly called for protesting NFL players to be fired.
All because a man decided he could no longer remain silent about something he believed was wrong.
I think there's a larger conversation to be had about why we celebrate people who stood up against injustice decades ago but have such a difficult time accepting those who are doing it today.
And I think race has a lot to do with that conversation.
I encourage everyone to purchase and read this book. Even if you disagree with Kaepernick's protest, I think you owe it to yourself to hear his story from his perspective rather than relying on what you've heard about him.
5 out of 5 stars. Easily.
I first heard about the book when Colin was a guest on Who's With Me?, a podcast hosted by W. Kamau Bell. By the way, if you haven't listened to that podcast, I highly recommend it.
Like most people, I was familiar with Colin's decision to kneel during the national anthem, the controversy that followed, and the Nike campaign. But there is so much more to his story that I didn't know.
The book gives us a look at his upbringing, his experiences with racism, his journey to becoming an NFL quarterback, and the events that shaped his decision to use his platform to speak out against injustice.
I've thought a lot about leadership over the years, particularly what it means to stand by your principles when doing so comes at a personal cost.
Colin Kaepernick spent his entire life working toward a career in professional football. He made it to the NFL, became a starting quarterback, and led his team to the Super Bowl.
And then he took a stand against something he believed was wrong, knowing full well that it could jeopardize everything he had worked for.
He hasn't played another game in the NFL since the 2016 season.
I have an enormous amount of respect for that kind of conviction. It's easy to talk about standing up for what you believe in when you have nothing to lose. How many of us would be willing to do the same knowing it could cost us our careers?
There's something else about this story that really bothers me.
We grow up learning about the importance of protest in American history. We're taught to admire those who challenged injustice, even when doing so was unpopular. We celebrate their courage and credit them with helping make this country better.
Yet when Kaepernick peacefully protested police violence against Black Americans, he was called unpatriotic. People burned his jerseys. The President of the United States publicly called for protesting NFL players to be fired.
All because a man decided he could no longer remain silent about something he believed was wrong.
I think there's a larger conversation to be had about why we celebrate people who stood up against injustice decades ago but have such a difficult time accepting those who are doing it today.
And I think race has a lot to do with that conversation.
I encourage everyone to purchase and read this book. Even if you disagree with Kaepernick's protest, I think you owe it to yourself to hear his story from his perspective rather than relying on what you've heard about him.
October 31, 2026
I was raised around sports most of my lifetime. My dad coached baseball and he enjoyed football and one of the times we connected with each other was while watching football. As an adult, I recall when Colin Kaepernick began his personal statement by kneeling instead of standing for the National Anthem. I remembered him being interviewed and listened when he spoke and fully understood what he was talking about. I did not think he was trying to disrespect anyone, especially not our men and women who had served in the military. Maybe being a woman, I was able to empathize with his plight for equity and his feeling that he, as a black man and the black community was being disrespected and that this was his way of bringing attention to the fact that there were still people within the United States of America who were being killed and not being treated with the same respect as others because of their skin color. His book is able to share his personal background and his thought process, and I hope that many people read this and learn to be less judgmental of a person based on their physical appearance. I believe Colin had insight that not everyone has because he was adopted and raised by a white family. For that reason, he sought out information about his biological culture and learned historical information that helped him develop his own opinions about his place in society and what he felt was needed for others like him. Nothing about him is self-serving. He was born with a gift and all he ever wanted to do was play in the NFL. It is obvious he gave everything he could to try to become the best Quarterback in the NFL. I think Colin showed great restraint and respect for the NFL system when writing this book because I'm sure there are so many things he could have added. It's unfortunate that he was not able to return to play in the NFL; however, it seems his purpose may have been to start the charities and programs that are helping the communities that needed his attention. I highly recommend this book.
Read
October 26, 2026-No rating because it is a memoir-
Spoilers ish
This is a must read! I learned so much about the inner workings of the NFL and the inside workings of how the players get treated. As a 49er fan it was cool to go back through the history, but kind of hurtful to see what the administration/main office did to my favorite team. There is a lot of football language used in the book, so it was confusing at times.
I loved getting to hear about Kaepernicks life leading up to the NFL and after. And where he gets his inspiration from. The comparisons he makes between slavery and the NFL with the rookie process surprised me because I had no idea the NFL processed like that. As well as how much political influence is involved. I also love the ending where you can tell Kaepernick has so much pride for his daughter.
Spoilers ish
This is a must read! I learned so much about the inner workings of the NFL and the inside workings of how the players get treated. As a 49er fan it was cool to go back through the history, but kind of hurtful to see what the administration/main office did to my favorite team. There is a lot of football language used in the book, so it was confusing at times.
I loved getting to hear about Kaepernicks life leading up to the NFL and after. And where he gets his inspiration from. The comparisons he makes between slavery and the NFL with the rookie process surprised me because I had no idea the NFL processed like that. As well as how much political influence is involved. I also love the ending where you can tell Kaepernick has so much pride for his daughter.
October 25, 2026
Wow- processing the things that ACTUALLY happened to CK
Is a job of its own. This guy- talented and able to prove it- was not set up for success by the teams he played for or by the NFL.
Using a protest, someone’s convictions, religion-or the like, to make money is simply unacceptable. What seems even worse is the team’s blatant disregard for players health and wellbeing.
Mr. Kaepernick’s story may seem “whiny” at times, but try seeing it from the perspective of the person being treated so poorly. Do better, NFL. Do better, my friends and neighbors.
To do better, we must acknowledge systemic racism and be the change we want to see.
Is a job of its own. This guy- talented and able to prove it- was not set up for success by the teams he played for or by the NFL.
Using a protest, someone’s convictions, religion-or the like, to make money is simply unacceptable. What seems even worse is the team’s blatant disregard for players health and wellbeing.
Mr. Kaepernick’s story may seem “whiny” at times, but try seeing it from the perspective of the person being treated so poorly. Do better, NFL. Do better, my friends and neighbors.
To do better, we must acknowledge systemic racism and be the change we want to see.
October 14, 2026
I think readers are conflating the story of the man with the actual story, i.e., how this story was written. As this is a place to share appreciation and comments about books, I will start mine by stating I am a huge fan of the man, Colin Kaepernick. He is the reason I was interested in reading his memoir, obviously, to learn more about what led him to his journey. So I was already an admirer of his widely publicized stance against police brutality towards Blacks in the US. I was hoping reading his memoir would shed light on what led him to that path.
I am not a football fan—at all—but I am a news ‘junkie’ so have various levels of awareness of a ton of topics. The football stats in this book are better understood by probably anybody else but me. But obviously there was a lot more to this story than numbers. I did gain understanding of how Colin got to his ‘taking a knee’, as well as his unwillingness to compromise on that gesture and what it meant for him. I learned a LOT about the nastiness of the NFL organization and felt outraged at the injustices that exist still to this day, all for the almighty buck. At the expense of the integrity of good men such as Colin. That enrages me and saddens me. Heartbreaking AF to think of him keeping himself ready to be called for a workout for years after he was let go by the 49ers.
The book itself is presumably written by Colin, and his editors have contributed their input, I’m sure. But I found there was a bit of repetition in a few places that made me wonder if the editors took a close enough read. I would have liked to see some photos in the book, seems to me most memoirs do include photos. I was compelled to do some side research of different individuals he named in his book to learn more about them, including his bio mother, who has posted a few videos about her experience giving him up. I would have liked to learn more about how Colin felt about that, he does touch on it but something so major must have impacted him more deeply than he shared, I feel. Also I did not know he was adopted by a white couple, that is such a major piece in this story, maybe I was the only one not aware of this fact. There is very little light shone on the feelings of his adoptive family, each of them (siblings and parents) must have had a lot to say.
So yes, because Colin Kaepernick’s story is one that can touch anybody anywhere, it is indeed worth reading this memoir. My rating is just an expression of my need and desire to have learned more.
I am not a football fan—at all—but I am a news ‘junkie’ so have various levels of awareness of a ton of topics. The football stats in this book are better understood by probably anybody else but me. But obviously there was a lot more to this story than numbers. I did gain understanding of how Colin got to his ‘taking a knee’, as well as his unwillingness to compromise on that gesture and what it meant for him. I learned a LOT about the nastiness of the NFL organization and felt outraged at the injustices that exist still to this day, all for the almighty buck. At the expense of the integrity of good men such as Colin. That enrages me and saddens me. Heartbreaking AF to think of him keeping himself ready to be called for a workout for years after he was let go by the 49ers.
The book itself is presumably written by Colin, and his editors have contributed their input, I’m sure. But I found there was a bit of repetition in a few places that made me wonder if the editors took a close enough read. I would have liked to see some photos in the book, seems to me most memoirs do include photos. I was compelled to do some side research of different individuals he named in his book to learn more about them, including his bio mother, who has posted a few videos about her experience giving him up. I would have liked to learn more about how Colin felt about that, he does touch on it but something so major must have impacted him more deeply than he shared, I feel. Also I did not know he was adopted by a white couple, that is such a major piece in this story, maybe I was the only one not aware of this fact. There is very little light shone on the feelings of his adoptive family, each of them (siblings and parents) must have had a lot to say.
So yes, because Colin Kaepernick’s story is one that can touch anybody anywhere, it is indeed worth reading this memoir. My rating is just an expression of my need and desire to have learned more.
October 23, 2026
I listened to the audio book and i definitely recommend. Is Colin the best narrator? No lol but it hit harder to hear the words coming from his own mouth. I walked away with more respect for him than I already had and a better understanding of why he moves the way that he does. The Nfl......Shawn Carter included........ is truly something else smh. Great job✊🏾
November 9, 2026
I think Colin's story is a reminder that systemic and institutional racism is a driving force in everything that happens in America. His money, his white family, his fame, nothing was more prevalent in how he was treated by the NFL than his race. What they did to him happens to regular black and brown citizens every day. We need change in this country.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews