Director Spike Lee Attends Michigan’s Spring Game to Film Kaepernick Documentary

The legendary director is filming a documentary on the former NFL signal-caller.

Colin Kaepernick was on hand as a honorary captain and to conduct a workout at halftime of the Michigan spring game on Saturday afternoon. But he wasn’t the only notable figure on hand to take in the Wolverines’ intrasquad scrimmage. 

Legendary film director Spike Lee was also in Ann Arbor on Saturday to watch the reigning Big Ten champs in action. However, that wasn’t exactly the main reason he was in the Big House.

Earlier this year, ESPN Films announced that Lee will direct a multipart documentary on Kaepernick that features extensive interviews with the former 49ers quarterback. The company announced that the director will use footage from Kaepernick’s personal archive to provide “a full, first-person account of his journey.”

Kaepernick conducted a throwing “exhibition” during halftime of Saturday’s spring game, marking just his latest workout in recent weeks as he eyes a return to the NFL. He has not played in the NFL since 2016, which is the same year that he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice. 

“I can help make you a better team,” Kaepernick said Saturday, per Detroit’s WXYZ. “I can help you win games. I know right now the situation likely won’t allow me to step into a starting role. I know I’ll be able to work my way to that, though.

“To the teams that have questions, more than anything I will say I’d love to come in for a workout. I’d love to sit down with you and have that conversation about how I help you be a better team.”

More NFL Coverage:


Published
Zach Koons
ZACH KOONS

Zach Koons is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about Formula One. He joined SI as a breaking/trending news writer in February 2022 before joining the programming team in 2023. Koons previously worked at The Spun and interned for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He currently hosts the "Bleav in Northwestern" podcast and received a bachelor's in journalism from Northwestern University.