His actions have been broadly supported as a use of his right to free speech.
Kaepernick is said to have reached out to Nike, explaining that he and others believed the “Betsy Ross” flag — which has 13 stars in a circle and was featured on the shoes — was associated with a time of slavery.
According to reports, Nike had already sent the shoes to stores when it requested them back without giving a reason.
The Air Max 1 USA shoes were set to go on sale this week for $140.
The 31-year-old quarterback, who is also a Nike endorser, said the old American flag emblazoned on the sneakers’ heel was offensive because of its links to an era of slavery, The Wall Street Journal reported.
‘Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,’ a Nike spokeswoman told the outlet.
WHY BETSY ROSS FLAG IS ANTI-DIVERSITY SYMBOL
The Betsy Ross flag is recognized as the first to feature the stripes, stars, and the colors red, white, and blue, which have since become symbols of the United States. The flag was made in 1776 at the request of George Washington, among others.
Ross designed the flag with 13 stars arranged in a circle to represent each of the 13 colonies, placing them on a blue background within a field of red and white stripes.
The flag was officially used for the first time in 1792, and now versions of it fly at select sites and hang in museums across the country.
It was created and later adopted at a time when slavery still ran rampant in the colonies, and because of this it has been adopted by white nationalists and other anti-diversity groups.
The Patriot Movement uses the flag as a symbol of their movement, which since the 1950s has promoted white supremacy and antisemitism.
Members of the movement believe that individual liberties are in jeopardy due to unconstitutional actions.
However, the WSJ reported that some of the shoes made it onto the market — with an online retailer selling a pair for up to $2,000.
Kaepernick voiced his concerns to the company after seeing images of the design online.
The NFL-player-turned-activist reportedly declined to comment.
The Betsy Ross flag, showcasing 13 white stars arranged in a circle to represent the 13 original U.S. colonies, was created during the American Revolution.
It was a time when lawmakers advocated for the expansion of slavery and declared that those born into slavery were slaves for life.
The flag has more recently been appropriated by some extremist groups opposed to the country’s increasing diversity.
Twitter users had mixed reactions to the news of the recall.
‘The Betsy Ross flag has been turned into a symbol of white nationalism and domestic extremism.
Conservatives will whine, but Colin Kaepernick was right to speak out and Nike was right to pull the products,’ one person wrote.
Another Twitter user expressed gratitude towards Kaepernick for‘shedding light on the fact that Betsy Ross’ flag is racist. I’m sitting here shaking now that I know that my history teachers left this vital piece of information from me.’
Others called Kaepernick ‘un-American’.
‘Nike just pulled a 4th of July themed shoe feat a Betsy Ross American Flag because complained saying it was “offensive”?!?!?! Can we just for ONE DAY Attempt to be Americans and be PROUD especially during the 4th of July! The day we became America?!,’ one person wrote.
Twitter users had mixed reactions to the news, with some tweeting their support for Nike and Kaepernick for scrapping the shoes
Others were outraged by the decision and criticized the former NFL star as ‘un-American.’
‘I’m offended at how [Nike] support someone who doesn’t support their county,’ another person tweeted.
In 2016, Kaepernick sparked a widespread controversy by choosing not to stand during the national anthem as a protest against inequality and racist police brutality.
Since starting the demonstrations during the NFL preseason three years ago, Kaepernick has been joined by scores of other NFL players in the face of intense criticism, namely from President Donald Trump, who has referred to the protesters as ‘sons of b’
The protests were mainly in response to the deaths of African-American men caused by law enforcement actions.
The free agent quarterback last played in the NFL in 2016, going unsigned since the kneeling protest.
In February, Kaepernick settled collusion claims accusing the league and its teams of conspiring to leave him and his former teammate, Eric Reid, unsigned due to their political activism.
The settlement amount was less than $10 million.
Last September, Nike introducing Kaepernick as the new face of its ‘Just Do It’ ad campaign.
A month later, the company released a long-sleeved black t-shirt with the controversial free agent quarterback’s name emblazoned in reflective lettering along the back, and the $50 item sold out within only a few hours.
The decision to feature the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback as the face of its advertising campaign led to a backlash from some consumers, who even burned Nike shoes in protest.
However, many voiced their support for Nike, a major partner of the NFL.
Despite the initial backlash and a drop in its shares, Nike reportedly earned about $6 billion from this move.