Colin Kaepernick will return to an NFL field tonight ... because his friend and brother in protest, Eric Reid, is honoring Kaep by wearing cleats with the embattled QB's picture on 'em.
The Panthers take on the Saints on "Monday Night Football" and Carolina's DB gave fans a look at the "My Cause, My Cleats" spikes he'll wear, featuring a kneeling Kaep and members of the Black Panthers.
The image of Kaepernick is from a famous photo where Kaep and then-49ers teammate, Reid took a knee together during the 2016 season.
Reid included a caption on the image, explaining where his heart is, and why he felt the need to honor the guys involved.
"It’s a tribute to the history of protest, centered around the quote 'if not us, who? If not now, when?' meaning we all benefit and stand on the shoulders of those giants who decided their moment was best used for the sake of the people."
"And it’s always the right time to do what’s right. No different from you using your moment to take a knee. It also has the 10 point platform of Colin’s Know Your Rights Camp.”
Kaepernick himself has already weighed in on the footwear, saying, "My brother @E_Reid35 coming with the heat tonight!"
Kaep's been out of the league since 2016, and Reid's been one of his fiercest supporters, joining Colin not only in his kneeling protest, but in his collusion lawsuit against the league.
It's clear that support isn't gonna stop, and on one of the biggest platforms in sports he's making a statement.