Kaepernick, a former quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began his silent protest in 2016 by remaining seated during the national anthem.
He said: "When I walked into the team room this morning, there were some people who were fuming".
The advert, titled "Dream Crazy", has Kaepernick narrating over images and footage of various athletes with inspirational stories, including National Basketball Association icon LeBron James, tennis star Serena Williams and Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge.
Some NFL players are supporting Nike's ad, saying Kaepernick sacrificed his life's work and football because of his ideology.
Shortly after Nike announced Colin Kaepernick would be featured in their new "Just Do It" campaign, causing a firestorm on social media, we are getting our first look at the 2 minute commercial. He implores the listener: "Don't ask if your dreams are insane, ask if they're insane enough". "Ask if they're insane enough", James replied with the sportswear giants' motto: "#JustDoIt".
Jay Rosenstein, a former CBS Sports executive and an adjunct professor at New York University's Tisch Center for Sports Management, said he's not surprised by what Nike is doing. The NFL has struggled to navigate the controversy as Trump has kept the pressure on while more players joined the protest last season. He has since filed a grievance with the league accusing owners of colluding to keep him off the field.
But Kaepernick and his Nike campaign, which marks the 30th anniversary of Nike's "Just Do It", received plenty of support from the fashion world in attendance Tuesday.
US President Donald Trump has criticized the company for the advertisement.