Colin Kaepernick isn’t Russia-bound; this claim originated on a self-described satire site

Misinformation about former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick regularly spreads on social media, and a new quote attributed to the activist fits that description. 

"Colin Kaepernick: ‘Will go to Russia if not respected properly in the United States,’" a Sept. 13 post said. 

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

A Kaepernick spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to PolitiFact’s questions about the post but we found it originated on a self-described satire site. 

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stated on December 10, 2024 in an Instagram post

“Dr. Assad will return to ophthalmology after being deposed as president of Syria and plans to set up an eye clinic in Russia.”

"Colin Kaepernick says he’ll leave Russia if he doesn’t get the respect he deserves in the U.S. - This is SATIRE," said a Sept. 10 Facebook post from SpaceX Fanclub, which notes that "nothing on this page is real." 

We looked for but found no credible evidence, such as news stories or public statements from Kaepernick, to corroborate the claim he made such a statement. 

Plus, he’s an unlikely candidate to become a Russian expat. A 2019 U.S. Senate report concluded that a Russian disinformation campaign targeted Kaepernick, who in 2016 started protesting police violence against Black Americans by sitting or kneeling during pregame national anthems. In 2019, he and the NFL settled a grievance that accused the league and team owners of colluding to keep him out of football.

We rate claims Kaepernick said he would leave the United States for Russia False.