On Sept. 7, 2023, SpaceXMania published an article positing that Colin Kaepernick was begging to rejoin an NFL team, vowing that he would never kneel during the national anthem again. The article began:
Colin Kaepernick Begs to Rejoin the Team, Vows Never to Kneel During the National Anthem Again
In a shocking turn of events, former NFL quarterback and now renowned civil rights activist, Colin Kaepernick, has made a desperate plea to be added back to an NFL team. And guess what? He’s vowed never to kneel during the national anthem again! That’s right, folks. It seems the man who once stood (or rather, knelt) as a symbol of resistance against racial injustice is now willing to stand tall… but only if he gets to play ball.
The article goes on to quote Kaepernick, with "tears streaming down his face," taking to the podium, saying: “I’ve had a change of heart ... I promise, if any team takes me back, I’ll stand during the national anthem. Heck, I’ll even sing along if that’s what it takes!”
This never happened; the described event was not a factual recount. The article originated with a website that describes its output as being satirical in nature, as follows:
Please note that the article under the category “SATIRE” are satirical in nature and are not meant to be taken seriously. These articles are meant to be humorous and are often entirely made up. We make no claim that the information presented in these articles is true or accurate.
Readers should exercise caution and use their own judgment when reading and interpreting our satirical articles. We take no responsibility for any actions taken based on the content of these articles.
SpaceXMania's Facebook account, SpaceX Lovers, posted the story, which earned 10,000 likes and more than 6,000 comments.
Kaepernick has been the subject of countless false stories concerning his political activism, ties to the NFL and Nike, and even whether his adopted parents consider him to be Black.
For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.