Four years ago this past September, then San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was featured on the cover of GQ magazine. The 49ers were coming off a Super Bowl appearance, and Kaepernick was the hottest thing in the league. The article offered much of the traditional backstory, and was about what you would have expected at that time.
This week, Kaepernick is back on the cover of GQ magazine, only this time as one of their men of the year. GQ has named multiple men of the year with various titles, and Kaepernick was named their citizen of the year. Here’s the cover:
Presenting @Kaepernick7's 2017 GQ Men of the Year cover https://t.co/HZE8XctcIA pic.twitter.com/z4aaNhyEVE
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) November 13, 2017
Kaepernick has remained mostly silent to the national media while continuing his work in the disadvantaged communities. GQ had this to say about his inclusion:
While Kap maintains his silent protest, he collaborated with GQ on a special project: a wide-ranging series of interviews with ten of his closest confidants and supporters—including rapper J. Cole, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, legendary artist Harry Belafonte, and more. Together, they explore Colin Kaepernick's actions, provide insight into his world right now, and explain why there's more work to be done.
The interviews provide a variety of angles from people who know Kaepernick in different ways. It’s a great read, and you can check it out here.