A nascent literature is emerging that analyzes the case of Colin Kaepernick who was “locked out” of the National Football League (NFL) beginning in 2017 because he chose to protest police brutality, systemic racism, and white supremacy. Using status expectations states theory and prototypicality theory, this research re-conceptualizes Kaepernick’s lock-out as an infringement on his right to work. First, researchers utilize a modified case-study approach comparing his experiences to those of six other Black male athletes who were “locked out.” Second, researchers utilize data and “matched cases” to demonstrate empirically that Kaepernick was locked out of the league while quarterbacks who were less qualified (based on specific performance measures) were allowed to continue working. The analysis demonstrates that Kaepernick was denied his “right to work” because he, like other Black male athletes before him, challenged structural racism and white supremacy.
