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New Orleans Protesters Chant 'F--K Drew Brees' After Saints QB's Anthem Comments

Jun 3, 2020
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees runs prior to an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees runs prior to an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Mike McCarn)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been heralded as a sports icon in the Bayou, but the 41-year-old has not been immune to backlash in his own city for comments made earlier Wednesday about NFL players kneeling during the national anthem. (NSFW language):

Brees was asked how he would feel if players returned to kneeling, a movement begun by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in 2016 to silently protest police brutality and racial injustice in America, and he responded by calling it disrespectful:

Protests sprouted nationwide following the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed black man who died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25 after then-officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the back of his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds: 

Several of Brees' teammates, such as reigning NFL receiving leader Michael Thomas and All-Pro defensive end Cameron Jordan, as well as numerous other athletes around sports, have publicly condemned his comments:

However, no Saint came out with stronger words against Brees and his stance than safety Malcolm Jenkins (NSFW language):

Brees made similar statements about Kaepernick and protesting during the national anthem in 2016 and 2017.

Saints' Cam Jordan Tweets 'Be a Better Ally' After Drew Brees Comments

Jun 3, 2020
New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan watches from the sideline in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan watches from the sideline in the second half of an NFL football game against the Tennessee Titans Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees made divisive remarks about the possibility of NFL players once again kneeling during the national anthem prior to games in protest of police brutality and racial injustice Wednesday:

Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan appeared to respond on Twitter:

The 30-year-old All-Pro provided more detailed thoughts to Josina Anderson:

Jordan is not the only Saints player to publicly respond to Brees (contains profanity):

https://twitter.com/MarcusJD84/status/1268317978598223873

However, some players would rather discuss it privately with Brees:

Protests have spread across all 50 states in the aftermath of George Floyd's death. The 46-year-old unarmed black man died while in Minneapolis police custody May 25 when since-fired officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the back of his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. An independent autopsy ruled earlier this week Floyd died after suffering "asphyxiation from sustained pressure." 

Chauvin was originally charged May 29 with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but his charges were changed to second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter Wednesday. The three other officers were also formally charged with aiding and abetting Wednesday.

Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick was the first to kneel during the national anthem during the 2016 NFL preseason.

"I wholeheartedly disagree," Brees told ESPN's Mike Triplett of Kaepernick's silent protest at the time. "Not that he wants to speak out about a very important issue. No, he can speak out about a very important issue. But there's plenty of other ways that you can do that in a peaceful manner that doesn't involve being disrespectful to the American flag."

Kaepernick opted out of his contract with the Niners in March 2017 and has not signed with another team since. He filed a grievance in 2017 accusing the league and owners of colluding to keep him out of the NFL because of his protests. The two sides reached a settlement in February 2019.

Malcolm Jenkins to Drew Brees in Deleted Video: 'Sometimes ... Shut the F--k Up'

Jun 3, 2020
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 31: NFL safety Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles speaks onstage during day 3 of SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIV on January 31, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM )
MIAMI, FLORIDA - JANUARY 31: NFL safety Malcolm Jenkins of the Philadelphia Eagles speaks onstage during day 3 of SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIV on January 31, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM )

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins criticized teammate Drew Brees, who said he "will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country" in reference to the protests started by Colin Kaepernick. 

In the wake of George Floyd's killing and nationwide protests against police brutality and racial injustice, Yahoo's Daniel Roberts asked Brees what he thought about players protesting during the national anthem:

Jenkins addressed the comments in an Instagram video.

In a since-deleted portion of the original video, he told Brees, "You're somebody who I had a great deal of respect for, but sometimes, you should shut the f--k up" (warning: video contains profanity):

Jenkins included this caption:

"As I was trying to muster up the energy and find the words to address Drew Brees's comments I recorded this video. Before I could post it, Drew reached out to me to discuss his point of view.

"All in all, I'm still posting this video because it's important for anyone who wants to consider themself an ally to know how these words and actions affect those who you want to help. Drew's words during his interview were extremely painful to hear and I hope he rectifies them with real action."

Jenkins wasn't the only one disappointed in Brees:

Kaepernick declined to stand for the national anthem during the 2016 NFL season. He told NFL Network's Steve Wyche at the time he was "not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."

The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback received heavy criticism at the time, with Brees' recent comments reflecting one of the more common refrains. The 13-time Pro Bowler had called the flag "sacred" in 2016 and said "there's plenty of other ways that you can do that in a peaceful manner that doesn't involve being disrespectful to the American flag."

Recent events have brought Kaepernick's social activism to the fore again.

While investigating an alleged forgery in progress on May 25, Minneapolis police officers removed Floyd from his car and placed him on the ground. Part of the encounter was recorded, with officer Derek Chauvin shown kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd later died at a local hospital.

The four officers were fired, and prosecutors initially charged Chauvin with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Wednesday he was now charging Chauvin with second-degree murder, and the other three officers are each facing a charge of aiding and abetting.

Saints' Drew Brees on Kneeling in NFL: 'Never Agree' with Disrespecting Flag

Jun 3, 2020
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Brian Blanco)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees still believes that NFL players protesting during the national anthem are disrespecting the United States of America.

Speaking to Daniel Roberts of Yahoo Finance, Brees said he "will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country" when asked about the possibility of players again taking a knee during the anthem when the 2020 NFL season begins:

Multiple NFL players took to Twitter to sound off on Brees' stance:

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas also responded to a tweet from Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman with his stance:

Brees attempted to walk back his comments by providing a statement to ESPN's Mike Triplett: "I love and respect my teammates and I stand right there with them in regards to fighting for racial equality and justice. I also stand with my grandfathers who risked their lives for this country and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis."

The act of kneeling during the national anthem began in 2016 when then-San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick did it to protest systemic racism and police brutality. 

On Tuesday's NFL Total Access, San Francisco cornerback Richard Sherman expressed frustration to Steve Wyche at the people Colin Kaepernick was trying to send a message to who are "unwilling" to hear it:

"The frustrating part is because the people that the message is trying to get through to are unwilling to accept the message. And when you're combative and defensive about something you don't even fully understand, there can't be progress. So whenever somebody says, 'Hey this black man got killed on national TV in front of the world,' there should be a sense of anger from everybody, regardless of race—because it was just wrong."

Many players followed Kaepernick's lead by joining the protest, with his former 49ers teammate, Eric Reid, continuing it throughout the 2019 season when he played for the Carolina Panthers. 

In the wake of George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis police custody on May 25, several NFL players have spoken out about what they can do to help make positive changes to end systemic racism and police brutality.

During a conversation with Wyche on Monday, Bills cornerback Josh Norman expressed hope that people will "come together and ask themselves, what can I do to help out my African American brother?"

Bills quarterback Josh McCown said in the same conversation that "it's on us as white people to step up, have a conversation with one another that would start to change and break the generation of cycles of racism that we see throughout our country."

It's unclear at this point if more NFL players will kneel during the national anthem when the 2020 season begins. 

Saints' Malcolm Jenkins Discusses Black People's Right to Vote Amid Protests

Jun 3, 2020
Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins during practice at the NFL football team's training camp in Philadelphia, Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins during practice at the NFL football team's training camp in Philadelphia, Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins discussed the importance of maintaining black people's right to vote during a conversation about voter suppression.

Jenkins joined Complex News for a conversation about tactics former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said were used in her state to remove the right to vote for 1.4 million people and refuse registration for 53,000 applications, 80 percent of which were from people of color.

"There's a reason, ya know, our ancestors put their lives on the line for our ability to vote," Jenkins said. "And have done all of these things, our long history with civil rights and all these things, being able to vote was the No. 1 thing that was fought for because we know that's how we can change the landscape of the country from a democracy standpoint."

Here's a look at the full discussion from Tuesday, which also included rapper Rapsody (Jenkins' comments begin around the 14-minute mark):

A report from the American Civil Liberties Union, a nonprofit organization aimed at protecting individual rights, said "one in 13 Black Americans cannot vote due to disenfranchisement laws" in the U.S.

Jenkins has emerged as one of the NFL's most vocal activists as a co-founder of the Players Coalition, an organization focused on social justice and racial equality.

The 32-year-old New Jersey native has sought justice for George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who was killed while in Minneapolis Police Department custody last week:

The situation has sparked worldwide protests. Jenkins took part in a Philadelphia march for the cause Sunday.

The Ohio State product is one of a large and growing group of athletes, executives and teams from the sports community that have spoken out over the past eight days.

"We know if you don't have a vote, you don't have a voice," Jenkins told Complex News. "... Lives have been put on the line for that ability, and I think we all need to honor that and respect it and pay forward. Not only for us but also for the next generation."

Derek Chauvin, who was one of four Minnesota police officers fired after Floyd's killing, was charged with felony third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after being shown on video pinning Floyd to the ground facedown with his knee on Floyd's neck over an alleged forgery.

Jenkins signed with the Saints, the team that originally selected him in the 2009 NFL draft, in March after spending the past six years with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Gayle Benson Spoke with Demario Davis, Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick About Social Reform

Jun 2, 2020
New Orleans Pelicans logo in the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, in Denver. The Nuggets won 116-111. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
New Orleans Pelicans logo in the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Oct. 29, 2018, in Denver. The Nuggets won 116-111. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans, has created the Social Justice Leadership Coalition in conjunction with three athletes. 

In a statement from Benson released on NBA.com, she, along with Saints linebacker Demario Davis and Pelicans guards Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick formed the coalition to further social justice reform projects to improve citizen relationships and positively impact prison reform:

"Today, we spoke with Demario, Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick. These players are passionate about finding a solution and working in solidarity with their fellow teammates. They are all committed to change, addressing action items and building towards future social change.

"I am proud to have them in our organization. We reached out seeking their advice and direction on what we can be doing more precisely to directly impact systemic change for a more just world. These are daunting initiatives, but if unified in these efforts we can make positive change. Our organization has always been a beacon of bringing our community together. We have the unique opportunity to work together with our current NBA and NFL players to find more solutions. There is still so much more work to do.

"I stand with them and I will rely on their leadership and direction to make sure we are making the most powerful impact we can. And I am proud to announce that these three players will join me in a newly created Social Justice Leadership Coalition, within our organization. I welcome any of our other players to join as well. Our goal will be to advocate for issues of change when and where we are able to in black and brown communities. Hopefully our work will be a model for others. They will have my full support."

Benson highlighted programs that were previously adopted by the organization, including a Diversity and Inclusion Council that "strives to provide a voice in the company" for employees who have been historically marginalized. 

Benson Tower donated office space to Operation Restoration in February. The nonprofit organization helps empower "women impacted by incarceration to successfully reenter their community." 

Davis has been an active presence in social justice reform, including fighting to eliminate the cash bail system, throughout his NFL career. Ball and members of his family took part in peaceful protests against police brutality in California on Monday. 

In the week since George Floyd was killed by police in Minnesota, Redick has been outspoken on social media about fighting for social justice reform. 

Benson became the principal owner of the Saints and Pelicans in 2018, after the death of her husband, Tom Benson.

Saints' Demario Davis Says 'We Have to Change the Way Policing Is Done'

Jun 1, 2020
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 22: Demario Davis #56 of the New Orleans Saints jogs to the sidelines during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Saints defeated the Titans 38-28. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 22: Demario Davis #56 of the New Orleans Saints jogs to the sidelines during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 22, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Saints defeated the Titans 38-28. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis has called for large-scale police reform in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis.

During an appearance on NFL Network on Monday, Davis said, "We have to change the way policing is done in our country."

NFL.com's Nick Shook shared more of Davis' comments:

"We know how to respond to crisis, we know how to respond to tragedies. Just think back to 9/11. 9/11 changed the way that we do airports. You'll never walk into an airport and it'll be the same. It was changed as a form of protection. We would never allow that situation to happen again in our country and that's what we need to do around policing. We need to change the way that we police so we won't have these incidents come up again. Because every time it does it tears at the threads of America. It tears us apart."

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was among four officers who were responding to an alleged forgery in progress. They removed Floyd from his car, and a video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck while Floyd was on the ground.

Floyd was heard saying he couldn't breathe yet remain restrained. He died later a local hospital, and the Hennepin County medical examiner determined his death was a "homicide resulting from being restrained," per CNN's Nadia Kounang.

Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The Players Coalition, of which Davis is a part, issued a statement in which the group largely echoed his comments from Monday:

https://twitter.com/JimTrotter_NFL/status/1266831316416249856

Protests sparked by Floyd's killing and continued Monday, with people taking to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and systemic racism.

To some extent, the protests have served as a form of vindication for Colin Kaepernick, who first remained seated and then began kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest violence perpetrated by police against people of color.

Kaepernick filed a grievance against NFL owners in October 2017, alleging they conspired to keep him out of the NFL in response to his social activism. His former teammate Eric Reid filed a grievance as well, and they settled their claims with the league in February 2019.

Saints' Malcolm Jenkins Marches in Philadelphia Amid George Floyd Protests

May 31, 2020
Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins speaks with members of the media at the NFL football team's practice facility in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. The Eagles ended their season with a 17-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Philadelphia Eagles strong safety Malcolm Jenkins speaks with members of the media at the NFL football team's practice facility in Philadelphia, Monday, Jan. 6, 2020. The Eagles ended their season with a 17-9 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins returned to Philadelphia to participate in protests after the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while in Minneapolis police custody Monday:

The 46-year-old Floyd was restrained by four former Minneapolis police officers, including Derek Chauvin, who pressed his knee into the back of Floyd's neck. Floyd was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

Chauvin was arrested and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter Friday.

Jenkins posted an impassioned video to Twitter on Wednesday:

The 32-year-old played for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2014 through last season before signing a four-year, $32 million deal with the Saints in March. Jenkins spent the beginning of his NFL career in New Orleans between 2009 and 2013 after the organization selected him 14th overall in '09.

Jenkins previously protested social injustice by raising a fist during the national anthem.

Jameis Winston Attitude Defines 'First One In, Last One Out,' Lavonte David Says

May 30, 2020
TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 29: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 29: Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Raymond James Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David praised the work ethic of ex-teammate and current New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston in an interview with ESPN's Jordan Schultz on Saturday:

David isn't the only former teammate who has done so, as wide receiver Mike Evans said the following to reporters last August, per Mark Cook of Pewter Report:

"He's always been the hardest worker I've known. That's no disrespect to anybody. I've been around a lot of hard workers, but he's definitely the hardest worker that I've been around."

Tampa Bay parted ways with Winston after his fifth-year option expired. He joined the Saints as a backup on a one-year deal behind starter Drew Brees.

     

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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Saints Exploring Creative Ways to Allow More Fans into Superdome amid COVID-19

May 28, 2020
NEW ORLEANS, LA - APRIL 09: The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is lit up blue on April 09, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Landmarks and buildings across the nation are displaying blue lights to show support for health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - APRIL 09: The Mercedes-Benz Superdome is lit up blue on April 09, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Landmarks and buildings across the nation are displaying blue lights to show support for health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

There remains plenty of uncertainty about the upcoming NFL season and whether fans will be allowed in stadiums amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Superdome in New Orleans is reportedly doing what it can to prepare creative ways to increase capacity.

According to Sean Fazende of Fox 8 New Orleans, ASM Global Vice President Doug Thornton revealed a plan for getting more people into the stadium while still adhering to social distancing policies keeping people six feet apart.

ASM Global is the managing company for the Superdome, where the New Orleans Saints play their home games.

"The Saints have been particularly good at using their business models to help us create a seating manifest that allows us to adhere to the six-foot distancing rule but also increase the capacity," Thornton said. "If we just took the six-foot rule and applied it on its face without any sort of creativity, you would bring your capacity to 17.5 percent; that would be about 13,000 fans in stands."

However, Thornton called such a number in a stadium that seats more than 74,000 "not acceptable," adding "we tried to get it to a higher level if we could. So we're exploring creating ways whether we seat people in pods of four, six or eight."

The NFL has not made any firm announcements about whether or not fans will be in attendance if and when the season starts.

On Tuesday, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reported coaches could return to team facilities that have been closed by next week, which could clear the way for full-squad minicamps between June 15 and June 27.

Robinson also noted Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told CNBC "right now—today—we're planning to have fans in the stadium." 

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Peter King for his Football Morning in America column that he could envision a scenario where a portion of the stands were filled depending on the public health situation by September.

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