New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has caught plenty of backlash for his stance on player protests during the national anthem. It appears he has since made efforts to clarify the comments he made regarding what he feels as disrespect to the flag.
According to ESPN's Mike Triplett, Brees indicated that while he is in the fight against racial injustice, he still does not prefer to protest during the anthem:
“I love and respect my teammates and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice. I also stand with my grandfathers who risked their lives for this country and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis.”
Along with Drew Brees, there have been a number of other quarterbacks throughout the NFL that have condemned the actions taken by police officers in the tragic death of George Floyd. Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow had no problem highlighting the plague of racism that exists in the United States and were clear about their efforts to use their platform to promote change.
As a result, there is plenty of speculation surrounding the return of player protests during the 2020 NFL season. Although the idea of taking a knee or raising a fist in solidarity with the African American community was seen as a major slight to the flag by the NFL from 2016-2018, it is clear that the aftermath of Floyd's death has sparked a call for true change.
Wide receiver Michael Thomas has since cryptically referred to Brees being naive to the situation. It will be interesting to see if the veteran ultimately changes his tune depending on the actions of his teammates once the 2020 campaign rolls around.
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