Colin Kaepernick, an unsigned NFL quarterback known for his stand on social issues, will receive an award from Sports Illustrated on Tuesday.
He has been selected for the magazine's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award.
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Kaepernick will be presented the award at the Sportsperson of the Year awards show.
The award goes to an athlete who uses sports as a platform to change the world, just as Muhammad Ali did when he protested against the Vietnam War by refusing to be drafted.
Last year, Kaepernick decided not to stand for the playing of the national anthem at NFL games as a protest against social injustice.