As the entire United States contends with the ongoing systemic racism and the reaction to it via the Black Lives Matter movement as well as a bevy of peaceful protests in every state, the NFL has also been dealing with various issues surrounding the social issue. Foremost among them in the NFL is Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.
Brees made some comments recently that got him in hot water regarding the BLM movement.
Here is an excerpt of his quote via Yahoo Sports:
“I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country. Let me just tell you what I see or what I feel when the national anthem is played, and when I look at the flag of the United States… I envision my two grandfathers who fought for this country during World War II. One in the army and one in the Marine Corps, both risking their lives to protect our country and to try and make our country and this world a better place.”
While Brees’s defense of the national anthem and the flag understandable given his family’s history in the military, Brees makes absolutely no mention of the inhumane treatment of black people and minorities in the United States that has continued unabated to the present day.
Despite that, Brees’s former teammate Malcolm Jenkins was on a call with Brees, and the 11-year veteran accepted Brees’s apology:
Still, Brees will have to do far more than just apologize to make up for his recent tactless quote.