On Wednesday, when discussing racial injustice in America, Drew Brees stated that he would “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.”
Many people, including Malcolm Jenkins and LeBron James, were stunned by these comments – and not in a good way.
“I just thought Drew was one of those people that just wasn’t listening, that’s just not listening to what the cause is here,” Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon said on The Zach Gelb Show. “I think he’s a much more intelligent guy than that because he’s been so involved in that community down in New Orleans since he got there after Katrina. Even as recently as this COVID19 thing, he provided 5 million meals to people in that community, and a lot of those people were African Americans who were living in poverty.
“So for him to not understand what’s been going on over the last week or so with all these protests and the uprising, I just don’t know where those comments came from,” Moon continued. “I think they just came from a selfish place. He was talking about what the flag and the Star-Spangled Banner meant to him, but this really had nothing to do with the flag or the Star-Spangled Banner. This has to do with what’s going on with police brutality and injustice to people of color. I think he just lost it all and he just went into what was important to him. That’s where he lost the whole meaning of what’s going on right now.”
Brees apologized Thursday for his comments, saying, “I made comments that were insensitive and 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.”
Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas accepted Brees’ apology.
“I think he’s been talked to by a lot of different people,” Moon said. “Maybe he understands a little bit better right now. He did apologize. But I think now he’s got some rebuilding to do with his teammates and also with people in his community. A lot of people have lost a lot of trust in him over that one incident, but I think if you look at the history of what Drew has been able to do over the time that he’s been in New Orleans, I think he’s at least allowed a mistake. As long as he makes up for that mistake, I think he should be forgiven.