On June 3rd, an interview with Drew Brees was released where he spoke about how he’ll “never agree” with Colin Kaepernick’s anthem-kneeling peaceful protest because, in Brees’ words, Kap’s protest was “disrespecting the flag” and that Kap’s protest disrespected the military and the sacrifices of, get this, the Civil Rights Movement. Yeah. Brees’ comments did not go over well anywhere. There were people in New Orleans chanting “F–k Drew Brees.” There were questions about how a football player – in a league which is 75% African-American – can still be so tone-deaf and stupid about these important race issues. Brees’ fellow NFL players and other high-profile athletes (like LeBron) all lined up against him.
Then something crazy happened. Within a day, Brees made a comprehensive apology to “my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community, and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday.” He confessed to making insensitive comments which “completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy.” He promised to “stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.” It wasn’t a perfect apology in any way, and I’m sure his publicist or crisis manager had a hand in writing it, but it was what it was. A semi-decent mea culpa and a semi-decent start.
So that was done, I thought, and my prediction was that Brees would crawl under a rock until we moved on to yelling at someone else. But no! Brees kept talking. After Donald Trump tweeted this:
…We should be standing up straight and tall, ideally with a salute, or a hand on heart. There are other things you can protest, but not our Great American Flag – NO KNEELING!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2020
…Brees responded with this on his social media:
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.
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. 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.
The thing about “cancel culture” is that sometimes it actually works if you let it. Drew Brees felt it, he felt his entire reputation, years of goodwill, years of respect, lucrative sponsorships and friendships slip away over the course of a day. He felt what it was like to be completely reviled and justifiably shamed. And because of that threat of complete cancellation, this motherf–ker changed. And as they say, no zealot like a convert. He went from MAGA dumbass to Woke As Hell in less than three days. You love to see it.
And because I can’t help myself, here’s ESPN reporter Maria Taylor rip Brees a new one. LOL.
Maria Taylor on Drew Brees apology " Would Drew Brees do this if there was no backlash?"…"You were not doing the right things before and I really wonder why the apology is happening now" pic.twitter.com/sQQe1ZaC8b
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 5, 2020
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Point blank and period
This is all fine and dandy, but I don’t believe he would be doing/saying all this if he didn’t get any backlash from his earlier comments. I personally feel, too little, too late!!!!!
I think BLM wont get far if it turns away people who see the error in their ways.
The error in his ways is that he is worried all his money is going to stop rolling in due to his big mouth. It’s BS that this jerk apologizes after the fact that he said something really racist, and got major backlash for it. Once you say something like that in the first place, that reveals your true self. And, he is a racist pure and simple. The error in his ways is that he said out loud what he said, and now he’s backtracking to save his own ass!
Amen Nia. Whatever their motivations or reasons for change, if they are all aboard the train and understand it more, let’s change the world together.
@nia completely agree. To think we cant change or don’t need to do better is to be self righteous. We can ALL do better. None of us are perfect so we should get off our high horse here
His wife’s apology/statement was much better.
TOTES. she said it perfectly.
I read hers and was like “oh, DAMN she showed her hubs how it’s DONE.” it was almost like she read his and was like “damn, you’re useless here, gotta do it myself.”
I respectfully disagree. It was full of salty blond white tears.
Loved how he responded to the Orange fascist. I’d like to know what he thought of it, or if he’s going to use his small thumbs to send Drew a reply.
It took him long enough. We will see what he does. Right now, he’s protecting his wallet and “legacy”.
I will wait and see how much he actually does with his platform in the coming years. He can start by helping Colin Kaepernick get back into the NFL. He can continue by participating in really change through community service.
The same flag that one race has flourished, thrived, been protected under, and benefitted from is the same flag that another race has been brutalised, oppressed, dehumanised, and murdered under.
Under the history of this flag, one race was asked to pledge allegiance to this flag while another race was systematically trafficked, exploited, tortured and sacrificed so that the flag of the great United States of America could rise.
America was built on the genocide of the native Americans and the backs of the black slaves. And you ask these same people to pledge allegiance to your flag while you step on their necks?
Your flag stands for racism, oppression, genocide, imperialism, brutality, injustice. Pledge allegiance to THAT
I would like to see him call out Laura Ingraham and Fox News as well.
This wasn’t the first time he made these type of statements on the flag. Just the first time he was “canceled” because of them. I’m glad he apologized and seems to be listening. I’m even more glad he called out Trump.
He and his family have done an incredible amount of good in NOLA. Maybe this really was an awakening for him on another level (i.e. recognizing privilege). We’ll just have to see.
Michael Thomas broke through the bro bubble surrounding Brees. That and his agent, publicists and the Saints PR machine.
I sincerely believe his and his wive’s eyes were opened. The next step is for him to put this into action — his wife and him have a foundation, let’s see what it does moving forward, in addition to their personal and business actions.
And Malcolm Jenkins.
Yes Malcolm Jenkins too.
I hope Brees and his wife truly get this, and do take action. PR apologies are expected, but the statement to Trump did surprise me a little. Let’s hope it’s all sincere.
Apparently I am the only person who is simply feeling shocked and relieved that Brees didn’t just double down on his dumbassery. I’m grateful that he saw the light and is willing to stand up and say so, even against what his MAGA fans might prefer. I’m probably giving a useless white man too much credit, but at this point I’d given up hoping that even one of these willfully ignorant morons would ever see past their privilege.
This dick- making it all about himself. I get it, his mental masturbation ties the flag to his grandpappies’ honor.
What he doesn’t get is that his grandfathers, like all other soldiers, fought for our Constitution, which includes freedom of speech, so he suppresses the freedom of speech of others, because it doesn’t revere his grandpappies the way he thinks it should.
That’s a brand new white- bread level white.
#stfuDrewBrees
His first apology was crap. “Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy.”
That’s a gaslighting, non apology if I ever heard one.
Cue the video of Trump at a superbowl party mocking the anthem by acting like he was conducting an orchestra.
https://twitter.com/RobertMaguire_/status/1224437545301241858
This man is trying to save his wallet and popularity. I’d love to know what piece of information finally broke through his very staunch “flag respect” because for this quick of a 180 from everything he’s always said it must have been transformative. What did he hear this time around that he didn’t last time???
I feel the same way most do about public apologies in the face of plummeting careers. But to echo someone above, if the right words eventually trickle, we have to nod and move forward if we expect more right words to follow. He’s white and probably had an uptick of followers after the ridiculous flag disrespecting snafu. It’s those followers who need to hear what he said above.
Why is the bar set so low for White men.. “MAGA dumbass to Woke As Hell in less than three days.” Really!?! That’s a ridiculous statement and I highly disagree. He was feeling the backlash in his pocket and has decided to act accordingly so that he doesn’t lose any more sponsors or fans. I doubt he’s in house talking to his wife about how #Blacklivesmatter.
I couldn’t agree with you more!!!!!