Brees Responds to Return of NFL Anthem Protests: 'I Will Never Agree With Anybody Disrespecting the Flag'
New Orleans Saints superstar Drew Brees took a strong stance defending his country on Wednesday.
During an interview with Yahoo Finance, the 41-year-old quarterback was asked how the NFL should respond to the likely return of anthem protests.
Brees remained resolute in his opposition to the protests that he has voiced since 2017, saying that he “will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag.”
Highlight: @readdanwrite asks @drewbrees what the star NFL quarterback thinks about “players kneeling again when the NFL season starts.”@drewbrees: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”
Full exchange: pic.twitter.com/MpCkFyOMed
— Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) June 3, 2020
Due to the ongoing protests and riots happening in response to the death of George Floyd, the topic of anthem kneeling has quickly resurfaced as the subject of race and policing is dragged back into the public forum. Yahoo’s Daniel Roberts asked Brees if his stance had changed.
“A lot of people expect that we will see players kneeling again if and when the NFL season starts. I’m curious how you think the NFL will and should respond to that and, of course, you’re such a leader in the league, what is your responsibility as a leader in times like this for the rest of your teammates and players in the league?” Roberts asked.
Brees made it clear that he had not changed his mind.
“Well I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country,” the NFL star said.
He went on to explain that when he looks at the flag, he thinks of his two grandfathers “who fought for this country during World War II.”
“And in many cases it brings me to tears,” Brees continued, “thinking about all that has been sacrificed. Not just those in the military, but for that matter, those throughout the civil rights movements of the ’60s.”
“I think what you do by standing there and showing respect for the flag with your hand over your heart, is it shows unity. It shows that we are all in this together, we can all do better and that we are all part of the solution.”
Brees’ teammate, New Orleans wide receiver Michael Thomas, took to Twitter to voice his displeasure with the quarterback’s comments.
He don’t know no better.
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) June 3, 2020
We don’t care if you don’t agree and whoever else how about that.
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) June 3, 2020
Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James joined in with criticism of his own.
WOW MAN!! ??♂️. Is it still surprising at this point. Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee?? Has absolute nothing to do with the disrespect of ?? and our soldiers(men and women) who keep our land free. My father-in-law was one of those https://t.co/pvUWPmh4s8
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 3, 2020
In response, Drew Brees made an additional statement to ESPN, although he didn’t back down from his position.
“I love and respect my teammates, and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice,” Brees said. “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.”
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