Colin Kaepernick named ‘Citizen of the Year’ by GQ magazine

Kaepernick hasn't returned to the NFL yet

Kaepernick made waves in the sports world with his protest of police brutality and racism in America

Colin Kaepernick, the controversial quarterback whose protest of police brutality and racism in America have sent shock waves through the NFL, has been named “Citizen of the Year” by GQ magazine.

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback is featured on the cover of of the magazine, staring ahead with lips pursed. The GQ story — titled “Colin Kaepernick Will Not Be Silenced” — manages to not quote the football star-turned civil rights defender a single time. Kaepernick, the article says, has “grown wise to the power of his silence.”

But that silence has become deafening in the past several months, as the once small protest of kneeling during America’s national anthem has spread. Fuelled by anti-protest comments from President Donald Trump, players began kneeling during the anthem — or not showing up at all — en mass earlier this football season.

“Colin also made it clear to us that he intended to remain silent,“ the GQ story reads. ”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 tweeted Monday that he was “honored” by the distinction bestowed upon him by the magazine.

Since beginning his protest last year, Kaepernick has found himself without a NFL position, leading some to wonder if that exclusion was at least in part politically motivated. Even so, he’s focused a good portion of his time on the activism that appears likely to become the defining aspect of his career.

Kaepernick’s former teammate, Eric Reid, who also protested with Kaepernick last year, has continued to kneel. He says that Kaepernick deserves to be back on the field playing professional football.

“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.”