Colin Kaepernick on new children's book and why he still has a strong desire to play in the NFL: "You don't just walk away"

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and media personality Nessa Diab recently appeared together for their first TV interview on "CBS Mornings." While discussing their new children's book, "We Are Free, You and Me," Kaepernick shared that he still has a strong desire to play football.

"It was 15 years of work and dedication before I ever stepped foot on an NFL field, and to have that passion and chase it for that long, you don't just give that up, you don't just walk away. You chase that. You pursue it," he said. 

Despite being away from the league for several years, Kaepernick remains dedicated to his craft. 

"There will never be an instance where I'm not ready, and there will never be an instance where it's because he doesn't want to anymore," he emphasized.

Reflecting on his activism and how it impacted his career, Kaepernick shared a conversation he had with a young attendee at one of their Know Your Rights Camps. 

"I had one of the youth at our Know Your Rights Camp ask me, 'I love playing football, but I also really care about my community, and I saw what happened. How do I do both?' And for me, I've had so many conversations like that, and my response is always, you don't have to choose one or the other. You can do both," Kaepernick said.

Alongside their advocacy work, Kaepernick and Diab talked about their new children's book, which is based on the 10 principles of the Know Your Rights Camp. The book aims to empower young readers by reminding them of their rights and encouraging them to be confident in who they are.

The couple explained that they were inspired to write the book after welcoming their daughter and looking for ways to translate the mission of the Know Your Rights Camp to a younger audience. 

"We're like, how do we bring this message to a younger audience, that they can feel, that they have agency, that they can be courageous, like they really get to take control of what their future destiny looks like," said Kaepernick.

Diab added that she would have loved to have a book like this growing up. 

"I just feel like it's so the message is so easy to understand, and it's just a reminder that, wow, I do have the right to it, be happy, to be healthy, to do what I want to do, and just to have that confidence," she said.