New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has come under intense fire after he made comments about kneeling during the national anthem.
In what many, including Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, saw as a complete cop out, Brees said he would never support kneeling during the national anthem because of the perceived disrespect it signifies towards the American flag and the nation’s military veterans.
James has been vocal about his disbelief over Brees’ comments, and now former NBA star Stephen Jackson has spoken out against the former Super Bowl champ as well.
“Bad timing, Drew Brees, bad timing, bruh,” Jackson said. “You play for New Orleans and you live in New Orleans. All them black people in New Orleans support you. Drew Brees, you gotta be a little more sensitive to the times, bruh. You can’t just be saying s— out your a–. You should understand. But y’all gotta hold all your white teammates accountable, bruh. F— Drew Brees. If you ain’t down with us, then you on the other side.”
Of course, Brees’ comments came amidst mass protests against police brutality in America. While Brees has since apologized, it is clear that his efforts are too little, too late for many.
As for Jackson, he has been a vocal leader throughout the protests due to his close friendship with George Floyd, the black man that was killed by Minneapolis police late last month.
While some of Brees’ former and current teammates have come forward to support him, many more star athletes have held similar sentiments to that of Jackson.
Considering the fact that the city of New Orleans has a population of over 59 percent black men and women, it will be fascinating to see how he is received by fans once the 2020 NFL season begins.
