There might not be a more polarizing figure in sports than Colin Kaepernick -- the former NFL quarterback whose new ad campaign with Nike has elicited everything from the "respect" of team owners to the displeasure of college administrators.
There also might not be a more prominent Nike spokesperson than Tiger Woods, whose lifetime sponsorship earnings have been about as historic as his golfing resume.
Now what does Woods think of Nike's decision to spotlight Kaepernick? He loves it.
Or at least, that's what his comments at the BMW Championship on Friday suggest, per the Golf Channel.
"I think Nike is trying to get out ahead of it and trying to do something special, and I think they've done that," Woods said. "It's a beautiful spot and pretty powerful people in the spot."
Kaepernick, who has not played in the NFL since 2016, was announced as a face of Nike's "Dream Crazy" marketing campaign this week, and his two-minute "Just Do It" ad featuring LeBron James and Serena Williams aired during Thursday night's NFL kickoff. As CBS News reported, some Nike customers have burned or destroyed the brand's shoes in protest over the ad, which is set to appear at the U.S. Open among other events, and President Donald Trump has also tweeted criticism of the campaign.
Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/x5TnU7Z51i
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 5, 2018
Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. #JustDoIt pic.twitter.com/SRWkMIDdaO
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) September 3, 2018
Kaepernick, of course, has made a career out of raising awareness of social injustice, particularly police brutality against minorities. The former San Francisco 49ers star, who's donated millions to various charities in support of his cause, is perhaps most known for kneeling during pre-game national anthems starting in 2016 to spark conversations of inequality. He does not address the protests in his Nike ad, instead encouraging athletes to pursue "bigger dreams," as CBS News noted.