New England Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty isn’t making it personal with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Even though Brees shared his opinion about why kneeling during the national anthem is an affront to military members — a notion which those kneeling have clarified countless times is not the intention — McCourty is willing to address Brees’ opinion (for which he has apologized multiple times).
“You don’t have an issue with Drew Brees when he makes those statements. You have an issue with that train of thought. That train of thought is what we’re trying to move away from,” Jason McCourty said on his podcast “Double Coverage” with his brother Devin. “As soon as someone who has that thought is willing to dive in and learn, and open up dialogue to talk about [it] … when we’re able to do that, there’s no animosity or hostility towards anyone. That’s not what we’re trying to do. There’s an issue, and we’re trying to fix this issue.”
The issue is racial injustice, which shows itself in police brutality and systemic racism, among other forms. Following the death of George Floyd, there is some thought that NFL players might protest more often during the national anthem, particularly with so many protests around the world against racial injustice.
Jason McCourty and his twin Devin have been outspoken in clarifying, both in 2020 and in 2018 when many Patriots kneeled during the anthem, that they mean no disrespect to the military. They simply want to engage in a greater conversation about race and racism in America. That’s why they had such a strong reaction to Brees’ comments initially — as did many athletes around the NFL. They called his comments “a disgrace” and plead with him: “Don’t avoid the issue and try to make it about a flag or the military.”
Perhaps the McCourtys — and other NFL players — can find a way to bridge the gap in understanding and engage in an open conversation with Brees.
