Behind the story : ` Colin Kaepernick has a job ' by Rembert Browne . 
Colin Kaepernick during a game against the Miami Dolphins on November 27 , 2016 . 
Before an otherwise unremarkable preseason game in August 2016 , San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat quietly on the sideline bench while his teammates stood for the National Anthem . 
That 's one reason writing about Kaepernick was so interesting , because there were lots of things about the way he was being talked about and treated that were very relatable for lots of people of color that work in a white newsroom , or any job . 
During the current iteration of the debate , one voice has been missing : Colin Kaepernick 's . 
He said they had been warming up to Kaepernick 's camp . 
Last spring , the writer Rembert Browne set out to tell Kaepernick 's story . 
The freelancer , who previously worked for Grantland and New York magazine , believed that he would have the chance to spend time with Kaepernick and those in his circle for a Bleacher Report feature . 
But as spring stretched into summer , it became apparent Kaepernick was n't interested in participating . 
I 'm fascinated that someone like Kaepernick wants to be a black intellectual and a black leader , because he was n't built for it . 
This felt like an artistic , creative undertaking more than a piece on Colin Kaepernick . 
Initially frustrated , Browne ultimately realized that Kaepernick 's silence allowed for a more nuanced , creative piece . 
He visited Kaepernick 's hometown of Turlock , California , spoke with activists and NFL players who followed Kaepernick 's lead , and wrote a 10,000 word essay , "Colin Kaepernick Has A Job ," that addresses not just the quarterback 's protest , but meditates on important questions about what it means to be black in America in 2017 . 
There 's a world in which , if I 'm not writing about Kaepernick , I might be in that room . 
There are things in this piece that people who want the perfect Colin Kaepernick narrative were n't thrilled about . 
Kaepernick 's about to turn 30 ; King was 32 at the time . 
I wrote a profile of Colin Kaepernick . 
I started off with the idea that Kaepernick is a metaphor for so many things .
Behind the story : ` Colin Kaepernick has a job ' by Rembert Browne. Colin Kaepernick during a game against the Miami Dolphins on November 27 , 2016. Before an otherwise unremarkable preseason game in August 2016 , San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat quietly on the sideline bench while his teammates stood for the National Anthem. That 's one reason writing about Kaepernick was so interesting , because there were lots of things about the way he was being talked about and treated that were very relatable for lots of people of color that work in a white newsroom , or any job. During the current iteration of the debate , one voice has been missing : Colin Kaepernick 's. He said they had been warming up to Kaepernick 's camp. Last spring , the writer Rembert Browne set out to tell Kaepernick 's story. The freelancer , who previously worked for Grantland and New York magazine , believed that he would have the chance to spend time with Kaepernick and those in his circle for a Bleacher Report feature. But as spring stretched into summer , it became apparent Kaepernick was n't interested in participating. I 'm fascinated that someone like Kaepernick wants to be a black intellectual and a black leader , because he was n't built for it. This felt like an artistic , creative undertaking more than a piece on Colin Kaepernick. Initially frustrated , Browne ultimately realized that Kaepernick 's silence allowed for a more nuanced , creative piece. He visited Kaepernick 's hometown of Turlock , California , spoke with activists and NFL players who followed Kaepernick 's lead , and wrote a 10,000 word essay , "Colin Kaepernick Has A Job ," that addresses not just the quarterback 's protest , but meditates on important questions about what it means to be black in America in 2017. There 's a world in which , if I 'm not writing about Kaepernick , I might be in that room. There are things in this piece that people who want the perfect Colin Kaepernick narrative were n't thrilled about. Kaepernick 's about to turn 30 ; King was 32 at the time. I wrote a profile of Colin Kaepernick. I started off with the idea that Kaepernick is a metaphor for so many things.