Drew Brees apologizes for kneeling controversy: I’m not the “enemy”

Drew Brees does not believe that he is the “enemy”.

The Saints quarterback apologized for his comments Wednesday, when he told Yahoo Finance that he would never support players who knelt during the national anthem. The comments were quickly reprimanded by Brees’ teammates, others in the NFL, athletes like LeBron James and Some New Orleans residents.

“I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, the NFL community, and anyone I hurt with my comments (Wednesday). As I speak to some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused. In an attempt to speak about respect, unity and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were callous and completely lost the mark on the problems we now face as a country, “Brees wrote on Instagram with a photo with black and white hands holding in solidarity.

“They lacked conscience and any kind of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that I am somehow an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an exact reflection of my heart or my character. “

Brees’ comments came as nationwide protests spread across the country over police murder of George Floyd. The 41-year-old Super Bowl champion tried to clarify his position on racial issues.

I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference.

I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place in all of our black communities and that still exist today.

I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community.

I recognize that I am part of the solution and that I can be a leader for the black community in this movement.

I will never know what it is to be a black man or raise black children in America, but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right.

I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy.

I am sick from the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and responsibility. I recognize that I should talk less and listen more … and when the black community talks about its pain, we all need to listen.

So I am very sorry and I apologize.