Report: Colin Kaepernick Concerns Lead Nike to Nix 'Betsy Ross Flag' Shoe Release

Nike pulled its planned Air Max 1 USA sneaker after former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick expressed concern over the usage of the Betsy Ross-designed version of the 13-starred American flag.

Wall Street Journal's Khadeeja Safdar and Andrew Beaton reported Monday that Kaepernick "told the company it shouldn't sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive."

More specifically, Kaepernick was concerned with the fact that the flag came from an era when slavery was legal in the United States (h/t Sports Illustrated's Alaa Abdeldaiem).

A Nike spokeswoman provided a statement to Safdar and Beaton: "Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag."

Nike began using Kaepernick as one of the faces in its "Just Do It" campaign last September.

The 31-year-old has become a vocal advocate for social causes, which he furthered when he knelt during the national anthem prior to NFL games. He told NFL Network's Steve Wyche in August 2016 he wanted to raise awareness of police brutality and racial injustice.