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Colin Kaepernick's decision to kneel during the national anthem is a moment that changed the NFL landscape forever. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback had taken the step back in 2016 to raise his voice against rising police brutality against the black community.
His decision left the NFL community divided. Though the moment marked the end of Kaepernick's NFL career, a debate still rages on over his actions.
As a matter of fact, former New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees was asked about his opinion regarding the matter. While speaking to Yahoo back in 2020, Brees initially expressed his displeasure over the matter:
“I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States... Let me just tell you 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 II... Both risking their lives to protect our country and to try to make our country and this world a better place."
As one would expect, Brees faced heavy backlash over his remarks. Among those critical of Brees over the same was NBA superstar LeBron James. Taking to Twitter, James expressed his displeasure over the former Saints QB's comments:
"WOW, MAN!! Is it still surprising at this point? Sure isn’t! You literally still don’t understand why Kap was kneeling on one knee?? Has absolutely nothing to do with the disrespect of 🇺🇸 and our soldiers(men and women) who keep our land free. My father-in-law was one of those."
Drew Brees was quick to track back on Colin Kaepernick kneeling comment
Drew Brees' comments about Kaepernick and other NFL stars taking the knee sparked outrage and disappointment. But soon after, the QB came clean revealing that he had no intentions of disrespecting anyone or any community through his comments. On Instagram, he posted:
"I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community, and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday. In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused."
He further stated:
"In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country. They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy."
Kaepernick's last NFL appearance came back in early 2017. Even though years have passed since the incident, it still serves as a subject of contentious debate among fans, players, and media alike.
