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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees put himself at the middle of a social media firestorm last week for his comments on peaceful protests, and he’s worked rapidly to reverse course and earn a spot in the good graces of his peers, teammates, and fans. Initially taking issue with silent protests against racial inequality and police brutality during the national anthem, Brees apologized for missing the point and now sides with the protesters.
One prominent name in NFL circles expects to see a more familiar side of Brees now that he’s rethought his stance on such demonstrations. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has seen firsthand how involved Brees has been in his community, and thinks this latest turn will reflect that. Mahomes weighed in during a Wednesday press conference.
“Yeah, I’ve known Drew for a pretty long time just being from Texas, and I know that he’s a good person and he has a good heart. Obviously, his statement missed the point and missed what was going on in the world today and took away attention from the movement that was going on and the peaceful protesting that was going on,” Mahomes said.
He continued, “But I think you see with his actions afterwards, and I believe with his actions moving forward, you will see the true person that he is, how much he cares about his community, and how much he cares about the people that he’s around.
“Time will tell, but I know that every interaction that I’ve had with him, he’s always showed me the upmost respect and I believe that his actions will show that as we continue to move forward.”
That’s quite an endorsement, but as Mahomes said, time will tell whether Brees’ actions will match his words. Saints fans will get a good look at the 2018 MVP and reining Super Bowl champion in a Dec. 20 game at the Superdome. Mahomes is at least one opponent who won’t be holding Brees’ gaffe against him.