![dont call me up fitness dont call me up fitness](https://c.saavncdn.com/021/25-Best-Fitness-Hits-For-Step-2019-Edition-25-Tracks-For-Fitness-Workout-132-Bpm--English-2019-20191112115236-500x500.jpg)
It’s a touchy subject, ’cause I never want to take it there, where it seems like it’s all about race. I don’t want to be someone that they say, ‘oh, he can run, but he can’t throw.’ And I think that’s another perception that’s been around for a long time that needs to be changed. But, I mean, even with a lot of the quarterbacks in the league who are black, it’s ‘oh you’re a black quarterback,’ or ‘you’re just a running quarterback.’ And I think that’s another stereotype that I really I feel like I’m trying to break. “I don’t ever want to take it to a race level. On racial stereotyping of quarterbacks (Kaepernick’s birth father is African-American, his birth mother is white) I don’t want people to think you have to look a certain way or be a certain mold to be able to be a quarterback.” “I think it’s a perception that’s been around for a very long time. On whether, as a quarterback, there’s a perception you have to be “clean cut” – e.g., as the face of a franchise, you shouldn’t have tattoos. And I think it takes away from the time we study the playbook, the time we spend in the film room and the preparation we put in.” But at the same time, I feel like it diminishes the mental side of the game. It’s a huge compliment to say, O.K., you have physical abilities that are kind of above and beyond. “To me, when people say, ‘Oh, you’re a freak athlete’”–he pauses–“it’s bittersweet. ( MORE: Read Sean Gregory’s full, in-depth profile of 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick) He spoke about his mixed feelings about being called a “freak athlete,” the racial stereotyping of quarterbacks, the criticism of his many tattoos, his relationship with his family – Kaepernick was adopted by a Wisconsin family that moved to California’s Central Valley, two hours east of San Francisco, where Colin grew up – and his reaction to do an interview his birth mother did with ESPN. for Camp Taylor – a program for kids with heart disease - Kaepernick took a break to open up on a broad range of topics. In late June, while headlining a charity golf tournament in Modesto, Calif.
![dont call me up fitness dont call me up fitness](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tX_wnLZIusM/maxresdefault.jpg)
Kaepernick is now one of the NFL’s breakout stars – he has the top-selling jersey in the league. Follow in time for the start of NFL training camps, this week’s issue of TIME – on newsstands on July 26, available to subscribers here - features a profile of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who came off the bench in Week 10 last season to nearly lead the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl.