Nike reportedly canceled Monday's release of a limited edition USA-themed Air Max 1 sneaker after concerns were raised from former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Kaepernick reached out to Nike after photos of the shoes started circulating online.
The heel of the sneakers feature an old American flag with 13 white stars in a circle to represent the original U.S. colonies.
The flag was created in 1792 during the American Revolution and is commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag.
Kaepernick reportedly found the flag design offensive, due to its connection to the slavery era.
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"Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag," a Nike spokeswoman said to the WSJ in a statement.
The WSJ said the company asked retailers to return the $140 shoes, without giving a reason why.
Prep for the Fourth of July in style by picking up this #IndependenceDay inspired Nike Air Max 1 dropping next week: https://t.co/54aNEsZo5c pic.twitter.com/r8cNKVtroE
— The Source Magazine (@TheSource) June 24, 2019
Last year, Nike tapped Kaepernick to be the face of its “Just Do It” campaign.
The 31-year-old made national headlines in 2016 when he began kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
The quarterback has not played in the NFL since the end of the 2016 season.