Drew Brees Issues Apology On Instagram, A Win For Humanity And A Teachable Moment For Everyone

PREVIOUSLY: LeBron James, Michael Thomas Rip Drew Brees for “Kneeling” Stance

It was a tough 24-hour run for Drew Brees. Although Facebook commenters and their ilk around the globe rejoiced when they saw his stance about how “no one should kneel during the National Anthem,” Brees immediately saw immense pushback. New/former teammate Malcolm Jenkins posted a teary response. As seen above, LeBron James, Michael Thomas and others publicly expressed their disappointment. Alvin Kamara even unfollowed Brees on all social media platforms.

And, to his credit, Drew Brees’s statement has come out as aggressively as he is likely capable of. He mentions “police brutality”, a phrase many companies and teams have been reluctant to deploy despite its accurate representation of the issues. He acknowledges the racial injustice that Black people have faced for decades, no matter what kind of protests they engage in or how they live their lives. He points out that he, and all of us, need to listen to Black people and hear how there are moments and fears in their lives that they’ll never realize.

As I mentioned yesterday, Drew Brees is, in my estimation, a good person. He has donated million to countless causes in New Orleans in Louisiana. He was a key figure in the rebuilding post Hurricane Katrina. And, as much as it will pain some of the people who declare “I’m even more of a Drew Brees fan now!” after his comments yesterday, his statement today is what actually reflects the good person he is.

This isn’t a war waged in “cancel culture”, even if it feels like it. This is a battle for what’s right, one where the guys in Brees’s locker room and Black people around the country need every voice on their side. People like Drew Brees need to chime up and acknowledge that Black lives matter and that radical change is needed to make them feel safe. Drew Brees’ experience is not the same as many Black Americans, a group who’s been actively targeted and diminished since the Civil War. That doesn’t make him a bad guy. Being unable to acknowledge that and, even worse, chastise the way Black people vocalize their discontent would.

Will the people who leapt to his defense with open arms do the same to these world views he’s publicly presented after, I’m sure, dozens of uncomfortable conversations yesterday? I think we all know the answer. But I’m an optimist and I hope that Drew Brees can help at least a percentage of those people think differently. It’s not easy to try to be an ally and look in the mirror to figre out why our country is the way it is. It seems like Drew Brees did that and hopefully at least a portion of people immediately follow his lead.