The NFL got a lot of backlash on Sunday after airing an "Inspire Change" video touting their work on "racial justice" and "policing." For most of the season, the league has run versions of the ad that chronicles their work with local communities and police interactions.  

The ad that aired on Super Bowl Sunday was a bit longer and fleshed out more of what the league was doing as part of its commitment to donate $250 million "to combat systemic racism and support the battle against the ongoing and historic injustices faced by African Americans."

Online, there was a significant backlash to the ad because it left out the one person responsible for the league committing so much money to the cause: Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick was trending on Twitter after the ad as many people noted that he is still being left out of the league despite some historically terrible quarterbacks getting chances this season. 

Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
spoke openly about Kaepernick in interviews before the Super Bowl. 

When asked about the league's social justice work, he noted that Kaepernick's protest "obviously brought a great deal of attention to this, and, for that, he deserves our recognition for that and appreciation.”

“I said very clearly back in June that we wish we had listened to our players earlier, and we had a lot of players that were coming and bringing these issues to us. It didn’t start last summer; it started over two years ago and we’ve been working with the Players Coalition over that period of time,” Goodell told reporters on Feb. 4 according to The Mercury News.

Yet no mention of Kaepernick was made during the ad, enraging many. 

While some derisively called Super Bowl Sunday "Colin Kaepernick Appreciation Day!" like legend Mariah Carey, others had more pointed criticisms of the ad.

Some also called out the NFL for treating Kaepernick's protest the way they did, considering their responses to other more notable players who took specific political stances in support of divisive former President Donald Trump.

Kaepernick last played in the league in 2016 and has been kept out since, despite his stated desire to play. Trump and the owners of most NFL teams spent years criticizing Kaepernick and making clear moves to prohibit players from protesting. 

"We can't have the inmates running the prison," Houston Texans owner Bob McNair said in a meeting about allowing players to kneel during the national anthem like Kaepernick.

Kaepernick eventually received a settlement from the NFL for their decision to keep him out of the league, and he hoped to be signed after a workout in November 2019. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said there were teams interested in him but none agreed to sign him. 

Goodell later acknowledged during the protests in 2020 after George Floyd's killing that the NFL was wrong for their treatment of Kaepernick. 

“We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to N.F.L. players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” Goodell said in a short video released last June.

“We, the National Football League, believe Black lives matter. I personally protest with you and want to be a part of the much-needed change in this country. Without black players, there would be no National Football League,” he added. 

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