The Superbowl of Adoption

San Francisco 49ers quarterback  Colin Kaepernick is adopted, but you already know that because it’s been plastered all over the news in the weeks leading up to the big game.  I suppose no one had anything else to dig up on the Superbowl stars this year so Kaepernick got the brunt of it with “can you believe he’s never wanted to speak to his birth-mother ” We heard it all week, starting with Rick Reilly and ending with Kaepernick himself.

He’s adopted. He’s always known he was adopted and he is comfortable with that. As the story goes, his birth-mother and his parents have been in contact and Kaepernick has the opportunity to get in touch with her if he wants (and his birth-mother has been quoted as saying she would like to meet him).  He doesn’t want to. Maybe he’s scared. Maybe he’s scared he won’t live up to the hype surrounding him and she’ll be disappointed. Maybe he’s scared she’ll like him *too* much. Maybe he’s scared he’ll like her too much and that will be confusing. Either way, he’s an adult and for now, he’s made a choice not to have contact.

I say we leave him alone. I say we let it go that he’s adopted- I agree it’s awesome, half of my kids are adopted- but they are just kids, regular kids. Don’t judge him, don’t ostracize him, just let him play football.