Less than 24 hours after igniting a racial firestorm by preaching the flag instead of standing in solidarity with those protesting police brutality, NFL quarterback Drew Brees is apologizing for the way his remarks were “perceived.”
“I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening,” Brees said in a statement issued today. “I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness.”
Quick backstory: In an interview with Yahoo Finance yesterday, Brees, who has a long partnership with the antigay hate group Focus on the Family, said he will “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America” when asked about NFL players peacefully protesting police brutality by taking a knee. Then we went on a tangent about how his grandfathers fought in WWII and so the flag is very important to him. (More important, evidently, than Black lives.)
It was his first public comment since George Floyd’s murder last week and, let’s just say, it didn’t go over well. A backlash quickly ensued, with NBA star LeBron James, Brees’ teammate Michael Thomas, and many, many others speaking out against his remarks.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Related: Everyone’s coming for NFL star Drew Brees after he speaks out against peaceful protestors
Now, Brees says it “it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused” with the sentiment he expressed yesterday.
“In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country,” Brees said in an apology posted to his Instagram page this morning.
He went on to say that he stands “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.”
“I have always been an ally, never an enemy,” he continued. “I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBA1P3gHpT_/?igshid=1qstwzxn87p2n
Unfortunately for the quarterback, people don’t seem to be buying the apology…
Take this for what it is, if you're trying to issue an apology, a press release is not the route. Take your ass on camera and apologize. Then go take some actions forward to show us/yourself that you actually are sorry. Morning @drewbrees
— ?obias Harris (@tobias31) June 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/2lockSports/status/1268528448043200513
Does the Drew Brees apology ring sincere or is it damage control? He missed the mark? But he has obviously and willingly BEEN missing the mark. And he’s not alone.
— Karen Hunter (@karenhunter) June 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/RawAndUncutpod/status/1268542416413474816
As you process Drew Brees’ apology, might want to consider this … https://t.co/hFwAWzoFA2
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) June 4, 2020
It was fuck Drew Brees yesterday and it’s fuck Drew Brees today after his PR team wrote that apology – the end !!!!!!
— Rich Dollaz (@richdollaz) June 4, 2020
Drew Brees’ apology is bullshit and he can just save it. He meant everything he said yesterday. His apology is just damage control because his teammates and other athletes was dragging him to hell. #DrewBreesIsCancelled pic.twitter.com/8nr5xS1hg8
— Phoni Braxton (@MovesLikeRoy) June 4, 2020
Unless Drew Brees states the NFL was wrong to blacklist Kaepernick then he can take his PR crafted apology and stick it up his —-
— Trump owes $$$$$$$$$ (@jonathanjewel) June 4, 2020
https://twitter.com/Politidope/status/1268543550817554442
Nah Drew you have been saying this since Kaepernick started kneeling. You are only apologizing because of the public backlash! Keep your half ass apology and your shitty opinions to yourself! #DrewBreesIsCancelled https://t.co/PPuxPEYlNi
— Ariel (@MsArielg) June 4, 2020
Keep your apology. We already knew the real Drew! #DrewBrees pic.twitter.com/2wmVfC5nLV
— Marshari. (@mlady36) June 4, 2020
It also seems to have upset conservatives…
Why are you apologizing? You didn’t say anything wrong.
— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) June 4, 2020
Disappointed to see @drewbrees apologize for his message of unity, patriotism and love of country. It has nothing to do with race. It’s disheartening you can’t even defend standing for the anthem and flag in 2020 without being eviscerated by the mob.
— Tomi Lahren (@TomiLahren) June 4, 2020
Please no apology @drewbrees ; God bless and my prayers and support
— David Gardner (@UDShondo) June 4, 2020
Ya wanna disagree with @drewbrees fine? Wanna question his timing? Sure. Painting him as a racist as a result of his answer? No! Sorry, but his personal views on how he feels when the anthem is played is just that, his American right. Just as it is, Kaepernick’s to take a knee.
— Tim Brando (@TimBrando) June 4, 2020
Drew Brees apologized for saying he wouldn’t kneel for the Flag and the mob still got #DrewBreesIsCancelled trending.
The lesson: NEVER give in to the mob! They will attack you either way.
— JT Lewis (@thejtlewis) June 4, 2020
Whether Brees’ apology is sincere remains to be seen. It all depends on what actions he takes going forward.
Whether he can still be an effective quarterback/team leader also remains to be seen. That may prove to be more difficult now that he’s alienated so many of his teammates and fans alike.
Related: Drew Brees to people criticizing his work with antigay hate group: “Shame on you!”
Chrisk
No the damage control is Drew recognizing (or at least his PR team) that words have consequences..$$$.
Cam
The flag is just a symbol. People like Brees who claim the flag represents justice and patriotism, yet attack other Americans for protesting for justice show that they have chosen a side. The side that says “Use whatever false dog whistle and symbol you can to keep other people down, and prevent change.
Breeze is white, a man, and worth about a quarter billion dollars. Add to that, he’s fine with black people getting murdered by police as long as they don’t irritate him by kneeling during the anthem.
Mister P
The kneeling in the NFL started a few years ago. Brees should have figured it out before today. Maybe he could have asked and someone could have explained it to him.
skyboy63
Sometimes it is best just to STFU.
rand503
This flag fetish has got to go. I remember when people got all upset when someone burned the flag. People said, “I fought for the flag in the war.”
No you did not! You fought for what it represents. People argued with me, so I said, okay — imagine you are a soldier and you are captured by the enemy. He holds the flag and says, “I’m gonna torch this flag. But if you take a bullet, then I won’t.” Would you take the bullet and “die for the flag?”
No soldier would do so. It would be idiotic. You might very will die to save our country from being invaded, or turn into a tyranny or a into a fascist state. That I can believe, believe people WILL die for freedom. But no one dies for a painted piece of cloth.
jackscott
It is crazy for people to attack him because he wants to salute the spirit of the American flag. He gave a very reasonable answer to why it is important to him. He wasn’t trying to be disrespectful of others.
Cam
This is how the trolls lie.
Brees isn’t being attacked for wanting to salute the flag. He attacked the idea of what Kaepernick was doing.
If you have to lie to make your point, you’ve already lost.
Patsy Stoned
The flag is a thing. A symbol. If you burn it, it doesn’t feel a thing. It is not a person, who feels it quite harshly when you kneel on his neck and murder him. People who want to equate the flag with human lives are beyond contempt. Drew can take a flying leap into the abyss with his homophobic, racist, trifling self.
garybw
Sounds like Drew is afraid he’ll lose endorsements
SportGuy
Lmao, keep your fake apology moron.