Megan Rapinoe praised former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernicks activism while accepting a Glamour Women of the Year award at a ceremony on Monday evening.

The soccer star and activist, one of Glamours 2019 Women of the Year , began her speech by thanking the person I dont feel like I would be here without, she said.

Before naming the football player, Rapinoe described him as someone whose courage and bravery was so bright and so bold, a person filled with conviction, unafraid of the consequences because he knew it really wasnt about playing it safe, it was about doing what was necessary and backing down to exactly nobody.

She continued, So while Im enjoying all of this unprecedented, and frankly, a little bit uncomfortable attention and personal success in large part due to my activism off the field, Colin Kaepernick is still effectively banned.

Rapinoe, who helped the U.S. womens national team win a second consecutive World Cup in July, was referencing Kaepernicks influential protests in which he kneeled during the national anthem at NFL games to protest all forms of social injustice.

The NFL has been widely accused of blackballing the football player for his activism. He has remained unsigned by any team since becoming a free agent after the 2016 season.

Kaepernick announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he has been invited to work out for teams on Saturday in Atlanta. The announcement coincides with renewed calls for his return to the league, especially amid a series of recent quarterback injuries.

Rapinoe, like Kaepernick, has used her platform as an elite athlete to protest injustice.