(Photo Credit: Michael Zagaris/Getty Images)
It has been a crazy ride for former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
Hard to believe that it is November and he still doesn’t have a job right? Even after so many starting quarterbacks went down with injuries, others who’s name you may not have heard in years or even ever have been signed to other teams.
His decision to kneel for the National Anthem opened up a very important conversation in this nation. A conversation about the injustices in our community. A conversation about race, and inequality. It also helped show anugly side of this country as those in power try to distract the conversation by firing up their own base and claim those who “kneel with Kaepernick” speak against the American flag and our brave military who sacrifice themselves everyday for the freedom and equality we ALL yearn to have one day.
Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the National Anthem in 2016 became a huge debate and may have cost him a job. It also made him an icon and symbol for those who are fighting everyday to help bring a voice to the voiceless and the conversation to inequality to the forefront.
For those actions, GQ decided to put him on the 2017 Man Of The Year cover this month and dubbed Kaepernick “citizen of the year.”
“Colin Kaepernick will not be silenced. He’s been vilified by millions and locked out of the NFL—all because he took a knee to protest police brutality. But Kaepernick’s determined stand puts him in rare company in sports history: Muhammad Ali, Jackie Robinson—athletes who risked everything to make a difference.”
See some of the photos from the story below, and read the feature which includes comments from J. Cole, Ava DuVernay, and our girl Nessa among others here.