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Colin Kaepernick is back in the headlines, and this time he says he’s changed his mind about something he once called principled. In a new interview tied to his forthcoming memoir, The Perilous Fight, the former NFL quarterback says he now regrets refusing to vote — and he’s praising New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an example that can pull people back into the ballot box.
Kaepernick’s about-face on voting: from boycott to ballot box
Once famous for kneeling during the national anthem and for announcing he wouldn’t “show support for that system,” Kaepernick now says his 2016 vow to skip voting looks “irresponsible.” He told NBC News that the 2016 election made him see the real cost of staying home, pointing to judicial picks and other outcomes that mattered. He also confirmed he voted for Joe Biden in 2020 and for Kamala Harris in 2024, underscoring a clear change from abstention to participation.
Why Mamdani got a shout-out
Kaepernick didn’t just apologize for his past stance — he praised Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City, saying Mamdani is “moving the needle” and “prioritizing the people’s needs.” That’s a striking compliment for a sitting mayor known for progressive, populist policies. If you like your politics loud and messy, Mamdani fits the bill. If you prefer calm competence, maybe not. Either way, Kaepernick says leaders like Mamdani can draw the disaffected back into politics.
What this shift actually means
Let’s be blunt: celebrities changing their minds about politics is not news on its own. What matters is the message for activists who once swore off elections as a moral stand. Kaepernick’s pivot is a practical admission that elections shape courts and policy in ways a protest alone does not. Conservatives should welcome more voters coming to the polls, even if they’re motivated by a progressive mayor’s hustle. If the left wants to win policy, it has to compete at the ballot box — that’s a lesson both sides should take seriously.
Keep watching: the memoir and the movement
The comments come as Kaepernick prepares his memoir, which guarantees more interviews and more moments like this one. Expect him to keep framing his decisions as strategic, while appealing to his base. And keep an eye on Mayor Mamdani: praise from a national activist gives him clout beyond city hall. For voters tired of posturing, the real test will be whether either side turns slogans into results that actually help people — and whether more Americans, persuaded or annoyed, show up and vote.
