With the 30th anniversary of the “Just Do It” campaign, Nike is feature former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick as their main focus. Kaepernick has had a lot of controversy around him due to his “take a knee” movement back in 2016. He later received even more criticism for his anti-police attire at games. Kaepernick then stopped playing football voluntarily and hasn’t been relevant since. He’s disrespecting the people who fight to keep our nation safe, so he, like many others, can achieve their dreams of playing a sport for a living. Kaepernick isn’t a hero, only a distraction. Which is why many former customers are boycotting Nike for having Kaepernick as their main focus.

After the 2016 season, Kaepernick was already a second string quarterback, but he ended up opting out of his six-year $114 million contract. He was hoping to become a free agent and to fight for a starting job somewhere else in the NFL, but wherever he went, so did the media and his need to have undivided attention.

Many teams sprung interest in the top-tier quarterback, but problems overcame him in obtaining a roster spot or spot on the team. He had an official visit with the Seattle Seahawks but wasn’t given a tryout as he wouldn’t commit to standing for the national anthem. Two more teams,the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens, showed interest in him as a backup quarterback. Denver offered him a two-year $13 million deal that he declined. The Ravens were close to setting up a contract for him, but would inevitably push away when his at-the-time girlfriend tweeted two photos of legendary linebacker Ray Lewis of the Ravens and team owner Steve Bisciotti, comparing the two to Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio playing their characters in the film “Django Unchained.” Lewis called the tweet “racist” and would keep Colin Kaepernick out of the NFL.

This whole chain of events started with a kneel that would upset Americans across the nation. Kaepernick himself is to blame for not having a job in the National League of Football, but he is still suing all 32 NFL owners for allegedly keeping him out of the NFL, even after being given multiple chances to be on a roster.

The whole point of Kaepernick being on the Nike campaign is to show that he sacrificed everything to stand up to police brutality. But did he really sacrifice everything?

All he did was opt out of his own contract and decline multiple opportunities  across the league. If you want to see real sacrifice in the NFL, then ask former Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman. However, you can’t because he gave the ultimate sacrifice, his life, to his country fighting in the Afghan War.

The only reason why Kaepernick didn’t commit to any team is because he still had a big source of income from Nike endorsements and wasn’t looking to actually work for his money. I understand his cause, but he just disrespected the whole country and every man and women who fought for this country when he took that knee. People died so he could play a sport for millions of dollars and live out his dream of playing in a superbowl. He is ungrateful and disrespectful, to both the nation and to the sport of football.If he didn’t have all this Nike money he’d be a backup quarterback getting ready to suit up on Sundays, but once you’re financially stable you have no fear of speaking your mind on anything, even the president of the United States.

Lakers superstar Lebron James has taken multiple shots at the president for being a racist among other allegations. He can say this all now since he makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year. But what about 18-year-old Lebron? He stayed quiet about politics because he didn’t know much about them at the time, and he only cared about playing in the NBA and making money to support his family. I respect that; he played his hand well and now he’s a superstar. I’m not saying I agree on everything Lebron says, but I respect it.

If you have the spotlight and want your voice to be heard, then go for it by all means. But to go out of your way to make yourself relevant again by disrespecting an entire nation that gave you the opportunity to literally make millions riding the bench is wrong. I agree that police brutality is a problem but you can’t just disrespect all of America for it. Your so-called “sacrifice” means little to nothing for you, Colin Kaepernick, only sacrificed looking like a disgrace to the country and to the NFL.