The budding relationship between sports and fashion is most evident during the Met Gala, where professional athletes can often be seen strutting down the red carpet. Despite football’s rough and tough nature, NFL players were out in full force this year.
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The theme for this year’s Gala was “Superfine: Celebrating Black Tailoring Black Style,” a theme that naturally drew more NFL players, given the league’s predominantly Black player pool. A few current players who attended included Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Stefon Diggs, and DeAndre Hopkins. There was also a former player on the red carpet in the form of NFL player-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick.
The former San Francisco 49ers QB, who was famously blackballed by the league after staging his silent kneeling protests during the national anthem nearly a decade ago, hasn’t been seen much publicly recently, but made an exception for this event. He wore a classy maroon chequered suit designed by Ozwald Boateng, complemented by a matching cape.
However, for some fans, Kaepernick’s cape was a step too far. One Twitter user said the look was Harry Potter-esque: “Looks like he’s the new defense against the dark arts professor at Hogwarts.” Another joked, “When you did nothing all year but show up to prom.”
Looks like he’s the new defense against the dark arts professor at Hogwarts
— NBA Hoops Online (@NBABoards) May 5, 2025
Others were more positive, with one praising Kaepernick’s glorious afro: “That hair is majestic. Almost halo-like.” Another took note of all the criticism for an outfit designed by a Black person for a Black activist for a Black-themed Gala: “The White anger on this thread is hilarious.”
Considering the theme of the evening was Black artists wearing clothes tailored by Black people, Kaepernick’s appearance and outfit seemed perfect for the occasion. Prior to the event, he spoke briefly about why he chose Boateng’s design.
“I think about the theme in relation to this moment and how powerful it is to bring the idea of ‘Tailoring Black Style’ to a moment where we see a lot of pressure and targeting of Black communities,” said the free agent QB.
Kaepernick also noted that this was really the first time that he and his longtime girlfriend, Nessa Diab, had stepped out in such a fancy setting since welcoming their first child, a baby girl, into the world back in 2022. Diab is a radio personality who is also involved in many community initiatives alongside Kaepernick.
One of these is the ‘Know Your Rights Camp’. It’s a traveling youth empowerment program founded by Kaepernick and Diab for disadvantaged youth. Its legal defense initiative also provides financial and legal assistance for people who “have been arrested or have been a victim of the violence of policing while fighting injustice across the nation.”
The strong NFL showing at the 2025 Met Gala was just the latest example of how fashion and pro football have become more and more intertwined. Just last year, Justin Jefferson and Joe Burrow—especially the latter—turned heads at Paris Fashion Week.
