A day after the New Orleans Saints’ locker room appeared to be in shambles, there are signs of moving forward in the wake of Drew Brees’ controversial comments on NFL player protests.
After overwhelming backlash from NFL players and the larger sports community on Wednesday, Brees issued an apology on Thursday after telling Yahoo Finance that he doesn’t want to see NFL players kneeling during the national anthem in the fall.
Saints All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas was one of the first and most prominent voices to condemn Brees on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was among the first Saints players to accept Brees’ mea culpa.
As Brees’ top target, Thomas is a critical voice in shaping how the Saints move forward in the aftermath of Wednesday’s controversy. He wasn’t alone in responding to Brees’ apology.
Other Saints respond
Left tackle Terron Armstead, another player with a critical relationship with Brees, said he and some other teammates spoke with Brees directly. He wrote on Thursday that “accountability and responsibility is the only way to move forward.”
Running back Alvin Kamara said that he also spoke with Brees.
Linebacker Demario Davis spoke with CNN and called Brees’ apology a “form of true leadership.”
Davis and fellow Saints linebacker Craig Robertson appeared to show support for Brees’ apology on Instagram.
What sparked the controversy?
Brees sparked the outcry when he told Yahoo Finance’s Daniel Roberts that he doesn’t agree with “anybody disrespecting the flag” when asked about NFL players kneeling again in the wake of the nationwide protests of George Floyd’s homicide while in custody of the Minneapolis police.
Brees framed his response in terms of his grandfathers fighting in wars, suggesting that players kneeling during the national anthem is a sign of disrespect to the military and patriotism instead of the true message of protesting police brutality and social injustice. It’s an argument that was used to stifle player protests and ultimately led to Colin Kaepernick’s exit from the NFL.
The civil and racial unrest of the last two weeks in America has shed new light on the peaceful NFL player protests with many coming to terms with their true message who hadn’t before.
After Wednesday’s backlash, Brees issued a formal apology on Thursday while stating that he’s an ally of the black community.
Jenkins, others haven’t responded
Brees has been one of the NFL’s and the Saints’ most popular players throughout his career in New Orleans. On top of the bigger issues his comments addressed, his initial statements threatened the tranquility of the Saints’ locker room as the team continues to pursue a Super Bowl behind the veteran quarterback.
For now, it sounds like some teammates are looking for a way to keep things together. Other critical teammates like Malcolm Jenkins have not yet addressed Brees’ apology.
More from Yahoo Sports:
Brees apologizes for comments on kneeling during anthem
Paylor: Backlash to Brees’ comments offers preview of season
Goodwill: Major risks aside, NBA is finally coming back
Keyser: Is public about to finally turn against MLB owners?
