When 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick scores a touchdown or does something else worthy of celebration on the football field, he often turns to a move that’s become known as “Kaepernicking” as he enjoys the moment.
He did a lot of “Kaepernicking” -- flexing and kissing his right bicep -- in the team’s playoff victory over the Packers, creating a larger audience for Kaepernick and causing someone around him to realize the potential to cash in on his sudden popularity. Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Kaepernick filed an application to trademark “Kaepernicking” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office two days after his huge game against Green Bay.
Kaepernick’s application said that he plans to use the term on clothing and ESPN reports that he has designs on other trademarks as well. Kaepernick’s camp has already authorized a few small t-shirt companies to use his name and image on shirts with a portion of any proceeds ticketed for camps attended by children with heart problems.
It wasn’t too long ago that “Tebowing” was all the rage, so we can’t blame Kaepernick from striking while the iron is hot although we feel pretty confident that he’ll be able to retain the heat longer than Tim Tebow.