Drew Brees used his free speech. Unlike Colin Kaepernick, it won’t cost him his job
Drew Brees maybe should re-consider his stance on retiring.
Either that or HBO should pay the NFL $1 billion to use the New Orleans Saints for their annual Hard Knocks series. That first team meeting alone would be worth the rights fees.
On Wednesday, Brees took both of his feet and shoved them down his throat. He told Yahoo! Finance, “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.”
Brees has made a career of being the good guy, but in that one sentence he made himself the villain to an entire league of people who respected him.
By speaking his mind Brees exercised his right to free speech, in the same vein as Colin Kaepernick did when he, as the quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, began in 2016 to take a knee during the national anthem to protest against police brutality.
As we will soon see, there are consequences, and then there are penalties, to free speech.
Brees will suffer consequences, whereas Kaepernick was penalized.
Brees’ comments came within hours of four Minneapolis police officers being charged with second-degree murder for their combined role in the killing of a handcuffed black man, and during a time when dozens of America’s cities have been loaded with a rainbow coalition of angry protesters.
Brees added, “So every time I stand with my hand over my heart, looking at that flag and singing the national anthem, that’s what I think about thinking about all that has been sacrificed, not just those in the military, but for that matter, those throughout the civil rights movement of the 60s. And all that has been endured by so many people.
“And is everything right with our country right now? No, it’s not. We still have a long way to go. But I think what you do by standing there and showing respect to 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 we are all part of the solution.”
Oh, son.
Kaepernick lost his career, albeit while becoming an international icon. But Brees, after a few tough and awkward conversations, some interviews and an apology or two, will be just fine
The Saints are not going with Taysom Hill just yet. They signed Jameis Winston in case Brees suffered an injury, which does not include torching his own tongue. They don’t want Winston playing football yet.
Everyone on New Orleans’ roster knows they are toast without the man who has become a symbol of not just the team, but the city. Remember, when Brees left San Diego and signed with the Saints in 2006 one of his missions was to help the city return from the Hurricane Katrina.
He has become a beloved figure in New Orleans for those efforts. Former Saints teammates Joe Horn and Marcus Davenport passionately defended Brees.
Brees is another guy who whiffed in that this was never about a piece of blue, red and white fabric. That all of this became about disrespecting the military was an ingenious piece of disingenuous spin.
Nonetheless, teammates, and some of the nation’s highest profile African American athletes and entertainers took to social media to crush Brees.
Actor Wendell Pierce wrote an eloquent Twitter thread.
LeBron James swatted Brees’ words like an Andre Iguodala layup.
Saints’ Malcolm Jenkins shot multiple videos, to tell his quarterback to “Shut the f--- up.”
The list goes on.
On Thursday morning, Brees displayed the type of deft footwork necessary to avoid a career-ending sack with an apology he posted on his Instagram account.
“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,” he wrote in what reads like a genuine apology.
Brees is simply another guy who made it about the flag when that was never the intent. He does not necessarily have to take a knee, but for a man of his stature in his sport to take a stance that indicts those who do is impressively stupid.
It’s his right to say what he wants, but there are consequences.
So, now what?
Is this a movement, or just a moment?
Perhaps Brees’ statements will lead to an enhanced a dialogue and inspire some positive action rather than it just becoming another shouting match over a false narrative.
Either way, HBO needs to write that check.
