Colin Kaepernick and his partner Nessa Diab welcomed their first child, Diab announced on Instagram Sunday.
Diab, a radio host and TV personality, said she thought “long and hard” about announcing the news – the couple had the baby a few weeks ago.
“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!,” Diab wrote in a heartwarming Instagram post, which included a picture of the new family together in a hospital bed.
“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! Colin is the most amazing dad and I’m soooo grateful that he is by our side for every moment of this journey.
“I know sharing this allows me to connect with you in different ways that I never imagined. My conversations and life experiences have already changed. And my world has gotten that much bigger thanks to our sweet little baby who has shown me how to love in ways I never knew.
Kaepernick, a free-agent NFL quarterback who has been out of the league since 2016, played six seasons for the 49ers and has remained unsigned due to his polarized protest to kneel during the national anthem.
Kaepernick filed a lawsuit in 2017 against the NFL, alleging owners were colluding to keep him from playing. He later reached a confidential settlement with the NFL. The 34-year-old recently worked out with the Las Vegas Raiders in May.
Kaepernick and Diab have been linked together since 2015. With their newborn baby, Diab said she and Kaepernick are “over the moon” about their “growing family.”