Did ESPN kill a Spike Lee Kaepernick documentary in capitulation to Trump?
Background: In 2020, ESPN commissioned a seven-part docuseries called "Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick," with Spike Lee named as director.
The S.F. quarterback, Kaepernick, took a knee during the playing of the national anthem before a 2016 game in protest of police brutality and racial inequality in the United States, was released by the 49ers following the season, and never played again in the NFL.
This past Saturday, August 16, ESPN announced in a press release that "ESPN, Colin Kaepernick, and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with the project as a result of certain creative differences."
But as San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler points out in his August 20 commentary, the news release is shrouded in mystery. Writes Ostler:
This might be a clue: ESPN’s surprise plug-pull came 11 days after an announcement that the NFL is selling its NFL Network to ESPN. The league will get a 10% equity stake in ESPN.
Are the NFL and ESPN taking a knee on the Kaepernick documentary, in order to avoid angering the president and possibly kneecapping the ESPN-NFL deal? Did the NFL make the plug-pulling part of the deal?
This has the feel of a mighty sports network, a subsidiary of even mightier Disney, bowing down to the heavy-handed media pressure being exerted everywhere by the Trump administration.
Ostler further reminds us that "the megadeal between ESPN and NFL Network requires the approval of the federal government" and that "FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump in January, stated he would block any merger of companies that had DEI programs." Carr launched an investigation of Disney. And Paramount ended its DEI policies in February. Add the Steven Colbert firing from CBS, the defunding of NPR and PBS, and ... well, it's pretty clear what could have happened here.
Keep in mind it is still possible the series was killed over an ego clash. And Ostler reports ESPN is allowing Lee and Kaepernick to shop the docuseries elsewhere.
But as reported from USA Today, when asked to comment, Spike Lee said " "It's not coming out. That's all I can say." He couldn't discuss why. "I can't. I signed a nondisclosure. I can't talk about it."
Link to commentary (paywall): https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/ostler/article/espn-taking-knee-kaepernick-doc-reeks-20822956.php
USA Today: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-freeman/2025/08/18/spike-lee-colin-kaepernick-documentary/85703714007/
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