Overview
- The Washington Post ran an Adam Kilgore column asserting Colin Kaepernick is the Super Bowl’s “most relevant figure,” tying that claim to the game’s location at the 49ers’ home stadium and to his 2016 protest legacy.
- The piece drew swift pushback on X from right-leaning voices, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, Clay Travis, and Charles C.W. Cooke, who mocked the premise and questioned the paper’s news judgment.
- Critics emphasized that Kaepernick has not played since 2016 and has no direct connection to the Seahawks–Patriots matchup, arguing the framing was detached from the game.
- Commentators linked the article to the Post’s recent layoffs and the shuttering of its sports department, casting the column as evidence of editorial decline.
- The column revisited Kaepernick’s activism and his legal settlement with the NFL, while quoting figures such as Seahawks safety Julian Love and academic Ayesha Bell Hardaway reflecting on his impact.