Controversial former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick got some major bad news when ESPN Films confirmed that it was cancelling production of a Spike Lee-directed docuseries about him, citing “certain creative differences” as the reason behind the shelving of the project, which had been in development for several years.
For background, on August 16, 2025, press accounts confirmed that Spike Lee’s proposed docuseries on Colin Kaepernick, which was reportedly tentatively titled “Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick,” had been cancelled years after it was first announced. Notably, the docuseries’ cancellation was announced just weeks before the start of the NFL season.
In a statement shared with Reuters, ESPN Films explained the project’s demise in vague terms, writing, “ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences.” The statement continued, “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”
Moreover, speaking to Reuters, director Spike Lee was tight-lipped about the fate of the docuseries, telling the outlet, “It’s not coming out. That’s all I can say.” When pressed for more details, Lee simply said, “I can’t. I signed a nondisclosure. I can’t talk about it.” Lee made his cryptic comments about “Da Saga” while riding a wave of critical praise for Highest 2 Lowest, a film starring Denzel Washington.
Notably, the cancellation of the docuseries followed years of controversy that have trailed behind the former quarterback, which began in 2016, when Kaepernick infamously chose to kneel during the singing of the national anthem at an NFL preseason game. After the spectacle, Kaepernick told reporters, “It is to protest the injustices that are happening in America, the oppression that is happening in America.”
Building on the controversy, Kaepernick continued to kneel during pre-game national anthem performances, prompting President Trump to say during a rally in 2017, “Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners — when somebody disrespects our flag — to say, ‘Get that son of a bi—off the field right now, out, he’s fired.”
Also in 2017, Kaepernick was presented with the Courageous Advocate award by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). While accepting the award, Kaepernick told the crowd, “We all have an obligation, no matter the risk and regardless of reward, to stand up for our fellow men and women who are being oppressed, with the understanding that human rights cannot be compromised.”
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Furthermore, Kaepernick also faced backlash for his appearance in a 2018 Nike ad, in which the former quarterback said, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything.” The ad, titled “Dream Crazy,” referred to Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem. A year later, Nike released a special edition of their Air Force 1 shoe featuring a portrait of Kaepernick and the date of the first time the player knelt in protest.
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