Marking a decade since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee in protest, his wife, Nessa, has been lining up tributes one after the other. But after a recent exclusive NBC News interview with Colin turned the lens back to the narratives around Jay-Z and his company, Roc Nation, Nessa decided to speak up against the rapper herself.

Nessa compiled a series of her Instagram stories into a reel, and posted them with a powerful caption calling out the NFL, Jay-Z, and his company.

“10 years. That’s how long the NFL had to make it right with Colin after blackballing him for his peaceful protest. They didn’t,” Nessa wrote. “7 years. That’s how long Jay-Z and his team had to make it right after undermining the protest and Colin. They didn’t. Instead: public slights, cryptic disses, and his team seeding negative stories about Colin.

“And through ALL of it, Colin took the high road as best as he could for YEEEAARRRSSSS and still does. Even now, while Colin is doing press to talk about his memoir and is asked about Jay, he answers sincerely, factually, and honestly. Thankfully, history will forever remember the NFL and Jay-Z for undermining the protest and sabotaging Colin.”

Hundreds of fans gathered under this post in support of Kaepernick. And when one person commended Nessa for supporting Colin, Nessa replied with another jab at Jay-Z.

“Yes, of course. And how dare I have a 20-year career built on sharing my thoughts and act like what’s happened is fine,” Nessa replied. “It’s the principle. The NFL, Jay-Z, and his team have continuously used dirty tactics to undermine Colin. It hasn’t worked, and it won’t because PEOPLE see it. Thank you for leaving a comment. I appreciate it.”

When Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem in the 2016 season, Jay-Z became one of his biggest supporters. The rapper once dedicated a concert performance to Kaepernick, and even wore his jersey during a “Saturday Night Live” performance in 2017. The next year, Jay-Z even called out the league in one of his songs. But everything changed in 2019, when the NFL partnered with Jay-Z’s entertainment company, Roc Nation.

Roc Nation has produced all the Super Bowl halftime shows since then and has also partnered with the NFL for its social justice work. Kaepernick only found out about this partnership after the deal had already been sealed. Meanwhile, Jay-Z faced immense criticism for partnering with the league that ended Kaepernick’s football career. At the time, Jay-Z defended himself, noting that Kaepernick’s protest was to “bring attention to social injustice” and making the case that the rapper had achieved that “next phase” through his partnership.

That same year, Kaepernick settled his collusion lawsuit against the NFL that alleged the league was blackballing players who led the national anthem protests. Cut to July 2026, and Jay-Z was getting criticized for a partnership he entered into with Target for an exclusive 30th-anniversary white vinyl edition of the “Reasonable Doubt” album. Referencing the public discontent at a July concert, Jay-Z took a shot at Kaepernick.

“They run out of characters, had to bring back up [Kaepernick] again,” Jay-Z said at the concert. “Buddy took a check; I ain’t even mad at him, but along with that check you have to sign a non-disparagement. I’m the one [the NFL] can’t control.”

In the NBC News’ exclusive interview, Kaepernick was asked about these comments. He made it clear that he signed no such agreement with the league, and turned the lens back on the rapper.

“First and foremost, what it speaks to is power of people,” Kaepernick said in the interview. “The backlash that [Jay-Z] received for partnering with the NFL and going counter to people’s interest in 2019 was a major problem for him, so much so that he’s still bringing it up in 2026.”

What began as a powerful support in 2017 has since turned into a chasm of disagreements between Colin Kaepernick and Jay-Z. But the fact that the rapper is still taking shots at Kaepernick in the face of criticism, per Kaepernick, indicates a bigger issue.

“People are now realizing, ‘Why are you so comfortable stepping into these positions that are counter to the positions that people on the ground actually want?’” Kaepernick said. “And to me, I view that as speaking to a guilty conscience and trying to reposition or reframe the conversation.”

In the interview, Kaepernick also made it clear that he won’t “respond to everything that’s said” about him, choosing to rely on his actions to speak for themselves instead. As for Nessa, she has seen Kaepernick lose the sport he once loved, and she has seen him turn into an American civil rights activist who’s being honored by everyone around him. From the looks of things, she will continue to be the most vocal supporter for her husband through it all.