EA Sports and Madden NFL 21 announced Tuesday that fans and players can once again play as Colin Kaepernick in the popular video game.
It's the first time Kaepernick has been an option in the Madden series since 2016 and he'll be returning as a top 15 ranking quarterback, according to The Undefeated.
The makers of Madden 21 said they have been working with Kaepernick and the new updates would be available to fans Tuesday. Players can now select Kaepernick to helm any teams in franchise mode and players can also select him for "Play Now."
In the announcement, Madden 21 said Kaepernick has had a long relationship with Madden NFL and they want him back. Madden 21 will rate Kaepernick as a as a starting quarterback and said they want to empower fans "to express their hopes for the future of football."
Madden 21 said in a statement, "Colin Kaepernick is one of the top free agents in football and a starting-caliber quarterback. The team at EA Sports, along with millions of Madden NFL fans want to see him back in our game."
Kaepernick's name has become ingrained in the social justice protests seen throughout professional sports leagues. In 2016, he became the first player to take a knee during the national anthem to protest against police brutality, social and racial injustice.
Four years later, the NFL has admitted it was wrong from not listening to Kaepernick and other players sooner.
“We, the National Football League, admit we were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier and encourage all to speak out and peacefully protest,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said while also embracing the Black Lives Matter movement.
Approximately 70 percent of NFL players in 2019 were Black, the Associated Press reported.
