In a move that’s sure to spark controversy, former United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) captain Megan Rapinoe has thrown her support behind none other than Colin Kaepernick for a spot on Team USA’s flag football team at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Yes, you read that right—the same Kaepernick who made headlines by kneeling during the national anthem in protest and subsequently turned his back on the NFL, the flag, and, arguably, the country itself.
During a recent episode of her podcast, “A Touch More,” Rapinoe gushed over the idea of Kaepernick representing the very nation he’s so famously protested against. “Oh God, he would be so good in flag football,” she said, seemingly ignoring the irony of having him represent the United States on the world stage. “He is still being blackballed from the NFL right now. I think it would be awesome.”
Rapinoe didn’t stop there. She went on to suggest that Kaepernick should be America’s flag bearer, a symbolic role that traditionally honors someone who embodies the best of the nation’s values. “I think it would be really incredible to have that representation of America also be front and center at an Olympics. That would be really cool,” Rapinoe said, without a hint of irony.
It’s clear that Rapinoe’s vision for America’s future on the global stage is steeped in woke activism rather than athletic achievement. The idea of Kaepernick—a man who chose to disrespect the very symbol of American freedom—carrying the U.S. flag at the Olympics is a slap in the face to every athlete who has trained and sacrificed for the honor of representing this country.
Kaepernick, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016, continues to paint himself as a victim of “blackballing” by the league. “We’re still training, still pushing,” he said in a recent interview, clinging to the hope that a team owner might one day give him another shot. While he dreams of making a comeback, Kaepernick’s most notable accomplishment in recent years has been his transformation from a quarterback into a full-time activist, leveraging his controversial stance to maintain relevance.
Rapinoe, who has never shied away from her own activism, has previously praised Kaepernick’s efforts. Last year, she likened her own protests to his, stating, “When I’m talking about LGBTQ rights, when I’m taking a knee in support of Colin Kaepernick, when I’m talking about police brutality or pay equity, it’s all the same exact thing to me.” To Rapinoe, it seems, activism trumps athleticism, and standing for something (or kneeling, as the case may be) is more important than standing for the nation.
Rapinoe’s activism, of course, is nothing new. She’s made headlines for years, not just for her soccer skills but for her relentless promotion of left-wing causes. In fact, she once described playing for the United States as “the worst job in the world,” a statement that highlights just how disconnected she is from the privilege and honor that comes with representing one’s country.
The idea of Kaepernick leading Team USA into the 2028 Olympics is just another example of how far some are willing to go in the name of “social justice.” But for many Americans, the thought of Kaepernick in the red, white, and blue is less about justice and more about a continued disrespect for the values that make this country great. If Rapinoe and Kaepernick get their way, the 2028 Olympics could be a sad day for those who still believe in American exceptionalism.
