On Monday, Nike announced that former San Francisco 49er's quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the new face of Nike's 30th anniversary "Just Do It" campaign.
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Nike customers destroy shoes after Colin Kaepernick ad emerges
The backlash against Kaepernick, who sparked controversy when he kneeled during the national anthem in 2016, started instantly.
The backlash against Kaepernick, who sparked controversy when he kneeled during the national anthem in 2016, started instantly.
On Twitter, haters voiced their disapproval with hashtags like #BoycottNike and #JustBurnIt. There were photos and videos of people holding flames to their Nike sneakers and cutting the signature swooshes off their Nike socks. Fox News host Tucker Carlson went so far as to call Kapernick's ad "an attack on the country."
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One particularly foolish man decided to burn his shoes while they were still on his feet.
His boycott apparently netted him one trip to the hospital:
By Tuesday morning, Nike shares had dropped by nearly 4 percent, according to Bloomberg.
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But not everyone was triggered by the bold new ad. Plenty current and former NFL players voiced their support, including Kenny Stills, Shawne Merriman, and Kelvin Beachum.
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Even Tom Brady, noted owner of a red "Make America Great Again" cap, "liked"Kaepernick's post on Instagram.
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