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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees went through a whirlwind of attention last week after speaking out against peaceful protests during the national anthem before NFL games, with retired Super Bowl champion and Fox Sports 1 host Shannon Sharpe among the loudest voices condemning Brees before he issued a public apology and backtracked on his stance.
Sharpe was an outspoken critic of Brees’ first remarks, using his platform on Fox Sports 1 to lambaste Brees for missing the point of protests during the national anthem while also, in a hotter take, calling for his retirement.
It left an impression on Brees, who reached out days later to speak with Sharpe over a phone call. The pair were able to talk things out in a lengthy conversation, which Sharpe described in another television spot.
“I said ‘Drew, for one second we didn’t want you to be Drew Brees, we wanted you to be one of us. We wanted you to ask yourself what if that was your brother [killed in police custody], your uncle, your father,'” Sharpe said during a Monday appearance on FS1. “What hurt the most is that it came from you. No white quarterback in the history of the NFL has had black support like you.”
Sharpe elaborated on his criticism of Brees’ initial stance, which you can find where we’ve embedded it below or by following this link. But the Saints’ face of the franchise changed his perspective after days of dialogue with his teammates, and has remained steadfast even when called out by President Donald Trump.
It’s been one of the more surprising storylines of the 2020 Saints offseason, but the capacity for growth Brees has shown — and the support his actions have earned from the rest of the locker room — speak volumes. These galvanizing moments could pay off when the Saints run into more adversity once the season starts.
.@ShannonSharpe describes his phone call with Drew Brees:
"I said Drew, for one second we didn't want you to be Drew Brees, we wanted you to be one of us. What hurt the most is that it came from you. No white QB in the history of the NFL has had black support like you." pic.twitter.com/wDO2F7uNM6
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) June 8, 2020