Nessa Diab, a radio DJ and MTV personality, is identified as a significant influence on Colin Kaepernick. Diab previously dated Kaepernick's teammate Alden Smith, which reportedly led to a locker room altercation between the two players. While Diab claims the anthem protest was not pre-planned, the hosts suggest her background in communications and sociology at Cal Berkeley makes her a likely handler for Kaepernick's brand.