#DrewBreesIsCancelled trends after quarterback says he will 'never agree' with kneeling during national anthem
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees' comments during a recent interview have led to him drawing a lot of criticism from fans as well as his teammate, Michael Thomas. When asked about the possibility of NFL players kneeling for the national anthem during the upcoming season, he stated that he will "never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States".
In his first statement since last week's incident of George Floyd's death at the hands of the police, Brees restated his aversion to the non-violent protest against police brutality launched by Colin Kaepernick in 2016. Brees is considered one of the finest quarterbacks in NFL history. He is the league's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. However, his comments didn't settle well with quite a few people who took to Twitter to voice their disappointment and called for him to be fired for being racist.
"He is not the example we need or want. We need him fired #DrewBreesIsCancelled," wrote one user. While another tweet read, "How do people like Drew Brees and Donald Trump not get that kneeling isn't disorienting the flag, it's peacefully using your 1st Amendment rights that soldiers died to give us..??? #DrewBreesIsCancelled".
"IDGAF how many apologies are made. Men without a script reveal their true selves in quick order. If Kap can be banned from .@NFL for kneeling, Brees should be banned for being a racist. Every black and brown sports fan should take a stand. #DrewBreesIsCancelled #firedrewbrees" wrote another user.
For the uninitiated, Brees in an interview with Yahoo Finance has mentioned, “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country". He also added, "Let me just tell what I see or what I feel when the national anthem is played and when I look at the flag of the United States. I envision my two grandfathers, who fought for this country during world war two, one in the Army and one in the Marine Corps. Both risking their lives to protect our country and to try to make our country and this world a better place. 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".
His comments drew immediate criticism from one of his highest-profile teammates, Pro Bowl wide receiver Michael Thomas, who tweeted: "He don't know no better," and in a post following his previous tweet, Thomas wrote, "We don't care if you don't agree and whoever else how about that." The 41-year-old quarterback chose to not back down on his stance in a clarification that he offered for his initial remarks in a statement to ESPN.com. "I love and respect my teammates and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice," Brees said. "I also stand with my grandfathers who risked their lives for this country and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis."