Brett Favre has been busy since his retirement, starring in commercials and recently being more vocal on political issues. Recently, the Hall of Famer weighed in on Drew Brees and the backlash he faced for his comments regarding national anthem protests.
Over sixth months after Brees said players who kneel during the national anthem were “disrespecting the flag,” which led to a flurry of criticism around the league and among Brees’ teammates, Favre defended the future Hall of Famer in a recent interview.
Brett Favre: Drew Brees was ‘bullied’ into apologizing for national anthem comments
Favre, who publicly endorsed Donald Trump during the 2020 presidential election, is no stranger to public criticism. He was blasted for golfing with President Trump this summer amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview with America This Week, Favre came to Brees’ defense for his comments regarding national anthem protests. Brees’ remarks drew scrutiny, including from Favre’s former teammate Aaron Rodgers.
It also sparked outrage in New Orleans, with Brees’ teammates angered by his remarks, fans cursing his name during peaceful protests and created tense feelings inside the team facility.
After his first apology backfired, Brees released an emotional video taking responsibility for his comments and releasing a clearer message regarding his views. The second apology seemingly went over well among his teammates, but Brett Favre believes Brees was “bullied” into apologizing and he never should have apologized.
“I think Drew stated clearly what he was standing for,” Brett Favre said on America This Week, (H/T WLBT.). “There’s no question about it and he wasn’t wrong.”
Favre’s feelings mirror what President Trump said in June, when he defended the star quarterback for supporting the American flag. Trump, who has been very critical of athletes who protest during the national anthem, has blamed protests for the NFL ratings dipping this season and vowed to boycott the NFL season.
While Brett Favre is happy to defend Brees’ previous statement, he overlooks the events that have taken place since then.
Brees pushed back against President Trump and defenders players’ rights to peaceful protests and raise awareness for systemic injustice and police brutality. He also signed the NFL Players Coalition’s letter, urging U.S. Congress to pass the Ending Qualified Immunity Act.
Government officials are given legal immunity from lawsuits alleging the victim’s rights were violated. Under the current doctrine, police officers and government officials are protected from lawsuits unless they violated a “clearly established” statutory or constitutional right, per Cornell Law School. The proposed act would have eliminated qualified immunity.
Brees and his wife have also donated $5 million to build health care centers in New Orleans and an additional $5 million to help COVID-19 relief efforts.
We’ve also seen Brett Favre backtrack on his own comments. After comparing Colin Kaepernick to Pat Tillman, Favre clarified his remark shortly after.