GQ magazine has named former 49ers quarterback Colin Kapernick their “Citizen of the Year” for 2017, and put him on the cover of their “Men of the Year” issue released Monday.
Presenting @Kaepernick7‘s 2017 GQ Men of the Year cover https://t.co/HZE8XctcIA pic.twitter.com/z4aaNhyEVE
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) November 13, 2017
I’m honored to be recognized by @GQMagazine as Citizen of the Year. https://t.co/s6wBZTa6tH
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) November 13, 2017
The piece consists of a number of testimonials about Kaepernick and the affect of his protests calling for social equality during the national anthem last season. Kaepernick himself is not quoted in the piece and hasn’t spoken out since he was released by the 49ers last offseason. The story states that Kap has “grown wise to the power of his silence,” and that he agreed to participate in photos for the cover story because “he wants to reclaim the narrative of his protest.”
“Colin also made it clear to us that he intended to remain silent,” GQ states in the story. “As his public identity has begun to shift from football star to embattled activist, he has grown wise to the power of his silence. It has helped his story go around the world. It has even provoked the ire and ill temper of Donald Trump.”
Kaepernick remains unsigned after finishing the 2016 season with a QB rating of 90.7, and is in the process of suing the NFL owners for colluding against him due to the controversy of his protest. Kaepernick’s teammate Eric Reid was one of the few teammates who knelt with Kaepernick last season, and penned one of the testamonials in the GQ piece.
“My goal this year has been to get the narrative back on track,” Reid said. “We started having communications with the NFL, and they said they’re going to help us make progress on these issues. But the next step is to get Colin back in the NFL. Because he’s the one that started this. I think we’re finally getting where me and Colin envision this going. Now it’s time for him to get back in the league.”
LeBron James also commented his support on Instagram.