GQ has revealed their Men of the Year issues, featuring Colin Kaepernick as Citizen of the Year, as well as covers honoring Gal Gadot, Stephen Colbert, and Kevin Durant. In the Citizen of the Year cover story, figures such as J. Cole, Ava DuVernay, Linda Sarsour, and more spoke to GQ about Colin Kaepernick's impact.
J. Cole said that his fandom for the former 49ers quarterback "hit another level" when he found out about his protest. "It wasn't just that—it was when I saw the shit he was saying in the interviews when they pressed him about it," the rapper said. "His answers were just so clear and potent. Like, right on point. And he wasn't backing down. And he wasn't afraid. He was just being honest. And it didn't seem like he was looking for attention."
"Had he not done that, this guy would be making millions of dollars right now," Cole concluded. "Period, point blank. And more important than the money, he was living his dream. He sacrificed his dream."
Read GQ's Citizen of the Year cover story here.