The contemporary relationship between sports and politics is one that is as equally significant as it is difficult to define. In this tense moment in American politics, it is important to understand the context of this dynamic as well as its ever-evolving nature in our sports-crazed culture.
Every era has politicized sports in one form or another. However, over the last decade, sports and politics have become increasingly intertwined. This development is likely due to social media and greater political polarization, as seen in reactions to Colin Kaepernick’s protest of the national anthem in 2016 and organizations honoring the conservative advocate Charlie Kirk following his assassination in September 2025.
In 2016, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Kaepernick began the season by sitting and then kneeling during the playing of the national anthem. Kaepernick refused to stand as an act of protesting racial oppression and police brutality that targeted marginalized communities. Kaepernick was ultimately scapegoated by all 32 teams in the NFL before quietly settling for an undisclosed settlement in a collusion lawsuit. In many ways, Kaepernick’s name is still as divisive as it was 10 years ago.
Dan Kozlowski, associate communication professor and associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, teaches Free Expression: Law and Practice (CMM 4420). The course covers the history and legal evolution of the First Amendment, as well as current events that surround its nuanced application.
“The First Amendment only protects against government censorship or state action,” Kozlowski said. “The First Amendment does not apply in the sense that Kaepernick couldn’t sue his [private] employer on First Amendment grounds. At their best, we hope that those institutions embrace the principles or the spirit of free speech … in a marketplace of ideas that allows for that kind of general [symbolic] protest.”
“Sometimes private employers are motivated by profit or some other motivation – and our government system, our legal system allows them to make that choice,” Kozlowski added.
Kozlowski’s insights highlight a theme that has been present throughout the course all semester: the grey area that lies between Constitutional protections and institutional discretion. Although Kaepernick ultimately sacrificed his career for his symbolic protests, his actions encapsulate the very essence of what it means to participate in American democracy.
In a more recent example of sports and politics intertwining, several collegiate and professional organizations honored Charlie Kirk following his assassination on Sept. 10, 2025. Nine NFL teams held a moment of silence before their respective games along with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees due to his national influence.
Many Americans on the opposite side of the political aisle seemed frustrated with this double standard. They argued that these same franchises never honored victims of police brutality or gun violence in the same manner.
Interestingly, some of the same fans who insisted on keeping politics out of sports embraced the honoring of the late conservative advocate.
This is not to say there is a right or wrong interpretation of this view, nor is this a comment on the tragic, brutal assassination of Charlie Kirk. This aims simply to draw out the complicated nature of politics and sports, and why this dynamic remains so deeply fraught in America.
Sports have historically played a crucial role in creating real political change. Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier in 1947, Tommie Smith and John Carlos offered the Black Power protest salute at the 1968 Olympics, and Curt Flood paved the way for future MLB free agency rights despite his loss in Flood v. Kuhn (1972) at the Supreme Court. Although these athletes faced one form of public disapproval or another, they brought political issues of their day to light through the platform they possessed.
Sports, in their purest form, are pastimes. They are mediums at all levels – whether as fans or players – where we can create meaning, assert identity and enjoy the very nature of competition. However, sports are not always the mere vessels of entertainment some give them credit for. They are a reflection of human nature – the best and worst of us.