Colin Kaepernick has publicly responded to Jay-Z’s recent reference to him during a freestyle at Yankee Stadium, saying he believes the rapper’s comments reflect the lingering fallout from their disagreement over Jay-Z’s relationship with the NFL.

Kaepernick addressed the situation during an upcoming appearance on NBC’s Before & After With Lester Holt, which is scheduled to air Sept. 7. In the interview, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback discussed Jay-Z’s decision to bring his name back into the conversation years after the two became linked through the NFL’s social-justice initiatives.

Kaepernick said the reaction to Jay-Z’s NFL partnership in 2019 was significant and argued that the continued references to him show that the issue remains relevant. He connected Jay-Z’s latest comments to the criticism the rapper received after partnering with the league while Kaepernick remained outside the NFL.

“First and foremost, what it speaks to is power of people,” Kaepernick said in the interview. He added that the backlash Jay-Z received for partnering with the NFL and taking a position that critics viewed as contrary to their interests was “a major problem for him,” saying that Jay-Z was still addressing the issue in 2026.

Kaepernick went on to say that he interpreted Jay-Z’s decision to reference him as an attempt to reshape the conversation surrounding their history. “To me, I view that as speaking to a guilty conscience and trying to reposition or reframe the conversation,” he said.

Jay-Z’s freestyle came during the first night of his Yankee Stadium residency in July. The rapper was responding to criticism surrounding his exclusive Reasonable Doubt vinyl partnership with Target, which had become part of a broader controversy involving civil-rights groups and calls to boycott the retailer over its handling of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

During the freestyle, Jay-Z brought up Kaepernick while addressing people criticizing his business decisions. He referenced Kaepernick taking a check and said that the former quarterback had to agree to a non-disparagement provision, while also contrasting their respective approaches to activism and community impact. Jay-Z also referenced his reported financial contributions to communities and his influence in legislative and social issues.

Kaepernick’s response marks his latest public comments on the long-running tension surrounding Jay-Z’s relationship with the NFL. The former quarterback became a central figure in protests against racial injustice after kneeling during the national anthem while playing for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. He has not played in the NFL since the 2016 season.

The dispute resurfaced as Jay-Z’s Yankee Stadium comments generated renewed discussion about their respective positions on activism, corporate partnerships and the NFL. NBC has also reported that Kaepernick’s forthcoming memoir, The Perilous Fight, will not be sold at Target stores. Jay-Z’s representatives have been contacted for comment on Kaepernick’s latest remarks.