Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick officially has taken on a new and exciting role in his life: dad.
Nessa Diab, Kaepernick’s longtime girlfriend, announced the birth of the couple’s first child on social media Sunday.
“I thought long and hard about sharing our life changing news today,” she wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of her and Kaepernick with the newborn baby. “I decided to do so because today is the first day in a few weeks where I stepped out for work with a new life title — MOM!”
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Diab said that she gave birth a few weeks ago, but did not reveal the exact birth date. She also did not share the baby’s sex or name.
“Recovering after delivery has been a journey (more on that later) and honestly I wasn’t going to share anything because this is sooooo personal to us and I realized I’m a complete mama bear!” she continued. “Colin is the most amazing dad and I’m soooo grateful that he is by our side for every moment of this journey.”
Diab, a radio and television personality best known for her work on MTV, and Kaepernick reportedly began dating in 2015.
Kaepernick last played in the NFL with the 49ers in 2016, the same season that he began to kneel during the national anthem in protest of racial injustice and police brutality. He filed a grievance against the league in 2017, accusing owners of blackballing him due to his protests. He eventually reached a confidential settlement with the NFL.
Kaepernick worked out for the Raiders in May with coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler present, but he remains without a spot on an NFL roster heading into the 2022 season.