Nike

At a time when the legal question of whether the NFL “just did it” regarding Colin Kaepernick and collusion is still pending, Nike has boldly followed its own three-decades-old advice.

In connection with the 30th anniversary of the iconic “Just Do It” campaign, Nike has unveiled an ad featuring Colin Kaepernick. “Believe in something,” the message superimposed over Kaepernick’s face declares. “Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

It’s a gutsy move for Nike, given that it holds the official apparel deal with the NFL. But it will be difficult for the NFL to retaliate, given that the contract runs through 2028.

The deal was recently negotiated by Kaepernick’s lawyers in his collusion case, Mark Geragos and Ben Meiselas.

Kaepernick isn’t the only face of the “Just Do It” marketing campaign, but Nike’s decision to include the player who has been shunned by the NFL and ostracized by fans a gutsy one. And it’s a clear statement of where the company stands on peaceful protests during the anthem, one that surely will prompt some to insist that Nike become the subject of boycotts and complaints.