Colin Kaepernick continued his march toward becoming an international media icon this week, appearing on the cover of GQ magazine.
Kaepernick, the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers and a Pitman High School graduate, surged into the nation's consciousness after replacing former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith in the middle of the 2012 season. Kap led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in style, setting records in his first season as a starter.
GQ, a men's magazine with nearly 1 million issues printed monthly, has been in print since 1931. The magazine is considered an authority on men's fashion, and is the 90th most-read magazine in America.
GQ's September issue features interviews with Kaepernick and Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III as part of its preseason football coverage. Kaepernick alone is displayed on the cover.
The article in GQ retreads much of Kaepernick's well-known upbringing, from his adoption to a standout high school baseball career. But the article mainly focuses on Kaepernick's dedication to the game, and his determination to improve.
That determination stretches back even to his Turlock days, Amy Curd, Kaepernick's pre-calculus teacher at Pitman, told GQ.
“(He) was only interested in what he'd done wrong,” Curd told GQ. “It was never about the grades—he was in that class to learn.”
To view the GQ article online, and to see pictures from the photoshoot, visit http://www.gq.com/entertainment/sports/201309/colin-kaepernick-cover-september-2013.
