San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is featured on this week's cover of TIME magazine amid his ongoing protest during the playing of the national anthem before games.
Kaepernick is the subject of a story by Sean Gregory on how the quarterback's decision to take a stand by taking a knee has started a conversation on racial issues and the definition of patriotism.
Kaepernick began his protest during the preseason, when he remained seated on the bench during the anthem in an effort to raise awareness about racial inequality in the United States. After a conversation with former Seahawks longsnapper and Green Beret Nate Boyer, Kaepernick transitioned the protest from taking a seat to taking a knee.