In the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the protests against police brutality and systemic racism around the country, there has been some thought that more NFL players will peacefully protest by kneeling during the national anthem this season.
During an interview with Yahoo! Finance, Brees was asked about that possibility and said he "will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America" and went on to explain what he feels during the anthem and shared the story of his two grandfathers fighting in World War II.
That hasn't sat well with a number of prominent athletes who have pointed out that kneeling isn't about the flag or veterans.
"This is a disgrace! To speak about your grandfathers as if there weren’t black men fighting next to them," the McCourty twins said on Twitter. "Those men later returned to a country that hated them. Don’t avoid the issue and try to make it about a flag or the military. Fight like your grandfathers for whats right!"
This is a disgrace! To speak about your grandfathers as if there weren’t black men fighting next to them.Those men later returned to a country that hated them. Don’t avoid the issue and try to make it about a flag or the military. Fight like your grandfathers for whats right! https://t.co/qag3Igic3V
— Devin&Jason McCourty (@McCourtyTwins)
June 3, 2020 Others have referenced what black Americans who fought in World War II came home to as well, with former Patriot Damien Woody suggesting Brees read up on the G.I. Bill, which helped white veterans prosper after the war but failed to guarantee the same benefits to black veterans.
Maybe @drewbrees needs a little history https://t.co/t0TkemtduY
— Damien Woody (@damienwoody)
June 3, 2020 LeBron James and two of Brees' Saints teammates have also called him out, with Michael Thomas tweeting "He don't know better" and "We don't care if you don't agree," and Emmanuel Sanders tweeting "Smh... ignorant."
He don’t know no better.
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike)
June 3, 2020 We don’t care if you don’t agree and whoever else how about that.
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike)
June 3, 2020 Smh.. Ignorant
— Emmanuel Sanders (@ESanders_10)
June 3, 2020
