New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is letting himself be heard.

In an Instagram post on Friday evening, the Saints star addressed United States President Donald Trump regarding the much-discussed issue of NFL players taking a knee whenever the national anthem is played.

“To @realdonaldtrump

Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been. We can no longer use the flag to turn people away or distract them from the real issues that face our black communities.”

Drew Brees made the post in response to the President's criticism of him for back-pedaling on his statement in an interview recently. To recall, he stated that he “will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag.” His comments sparked outrage from the sports community, including from Saints teammates Michael Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. 

The Saints QB has since apologized for his comments.

The kneeling practice was started by Colin Kaepernick in 2016 with the aim of raising awareness regarding racial injustices and police brutality, among others. Kaepernick’s protests have since gained traction, with numerous athletes following his lead.

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JC Latham (Alabama), Chris Braswell (Alabama not Jaguars), Cornelieus Johnson (Michigan) in action behind a New Orleans Saints logo with a 2024 NFL Draft background.

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“We did this back in 2017, and regretfully I brought it back with my comments this week. We must stop talking about the flag and shift our attention to the real issues of systemic racial injustice, economic oppression, police brutality, and judicial & prison reform,” Brees furthered in his post for Donald Trump.

“We are at a critical juncture in our nation’s history! If not now, then when?

“We as a white community need to listen and learn from the pain and suffering of our black communities. We must acknowledge the problems, identify the solutions, and then put this into action. The black community cannot do it alone. This will require all of us.”

Protests have ravaged the country since last week due to the death of George Floyd, re-igniting calls for justice involving the African American community.