Drew Brees directly responded to President Trump’s criticism of the NFL star on Friday – a day after the Saints quarterback apologized for saying that players who knelt during the national anthem were disrespecting the flag.
On Instagram, Brees on Friday posted a graphic showing a gray box with the words ‘To President Trump’ written in the middle.
The caption read: ‘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.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (left) told President Trump (right) on social media that he stands by his apology for saying earlier this week that athletes who take a knee during the national anthem as a form of protest were disrespecting the military
On Instagram, Brees on Friday posted a graphic showing a gray box with the words ‘To President Trump’ written in the middle
The caption read: ‘Through my ongoing conversations with friends, teammates, and leaders in the black community, I realize this is not an issue about the American flag’
‘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.’
Earlier on Friday, Trump called out Brees for backing down from his earlier criticism on Wednesday, when the NFL star was quoted as saying that he didn’t agree with protesters who knelt during the national anthem.
(From left) Brittney Brees, Drew Brees, Melania Trump and Donald Trump pictured at the college football national championship game at the Superdome in New Orleans
President Donald Trump is wading back into the debate over NFL player protests by condemning Drew Brees’s recent apology for calling the peaceful demonstrations ‘disrespectful’ to the military
Brees apologized on Thursday for comments he made one day earlier that he described as ‘insensitive and completely missed the mark.’
He said on Wednesday that he ‘will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country’ while reiterating his objection to NFL players who kneel during the national anthem.
Brees, who had previously disagreed with the protests started by Colin Kaepernick, repeated his opposition to kneeling during the national anthem in an interview with Yahoo Finance on Wednesday.
Numerous black athletes, including NBA star LeBron James, expressed outrage at Brees.
Several of Brees’ New Orleans teammates were among the NFL players who were irate.
The biting backlash that followed prompted the Saints’ star quarterback to issue a several apologies on Thursday, first writing that he ‘missed the mark’ and then promising to ‘do better’ in his self-made video.
In the apology video, Brees also referenced the recent killing of Ahmad Arbery, the black man who was shot to death by a former cop and his son while he was jogging in Georgia.
‘I wish I would have laid out what was on my heart in regards to the George Floyd murder, Ahmaud Arbery, the years and years of social injustice, police brutality and the need for so much reform and change in regards to legislation and so many other things to bring equality to our black communities,’ Brees said.
‘I am sorry and I will do better and I will be part of the solution and I am your ally.’
Trump, though, said on his Twitter account that he doesn’t think Brees needed to issue an apology.
Several of Brees’ teammates, including Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, and Michael Thomas, took to social media and praised the quarterback for his apology. ‘A big part of leadership is admitting when you are wrong, and correcting your mistake,’ Davis tweeted
Jordan responded to Davis, tweeting: ‘Only through open dialogue & open hearts can we expand our comprehension and only in courage can we create positive change!’
Thomas, a wide receiver who catches passes from Brees, tweeted: ‘My QB!’ He added an emoji showing a flexed bicep muscle.
‘I am a big fan of Drew Brees. I think he’s truly one of the greatest quarterbacks, but he should not have taken back his original stance on honoring our magnificent American Flag. OLD GLORY is to be revered, cherished, and flown high. …
‘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!’
Several of Brees’ teammates, including Demario Davis, Cameron Jordan, and Michael Thomas, took to social media and praised the quarterback for his apology.
‘A big part of leadership is admitting when you are wrong, and correcting your mistake,’ Davis tweeted.
‘A model that All of America can follow, admit the wrong done to the black community, fix the issues and WE ALL move forward together.
‘Let’s all stand together now and find solutions.’
Jordan responded to Davis, tweeting: ‘Only through open dialogue & open hearts can we expand our comprehension and only in courage can we create positive change!’
Thomas, a wide receiver who catches passes from Brees, tweeted: ‘My QB!’
He added an emoji showing a flexed bicep muscle.
Trump’s comments came hours before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell apologized and said that the league was wrong for not listening to players and their concerns about social justice and racism.
Social injustice has been a major source of tension in the NFL since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling before games during the 2016 season to bring attention to police brutality.
Drew Brees posted a video on Instagram to apologize again for his comments about protests
Brees did not run away from criticism in his apology on Instagram: ‘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’
Kaepernick hasn’t played in an NFL game since that year.
The NFL’s relationship with black players is under scrutiny in the wake of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
A group of players requested the NFL take strong action on Thursday in a video directed at Goodell and other NFL officials.
Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after white Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes in an incident caught on cell phones.
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Three other officers – Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao – were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting both a second-degree murder and a second-degree manslaughter.