“New Orleans Saints Are Fractured” – Analyst Talks About Drew Brees’ Comments

Popular analyst, Skip Bayless tweeted on Monday about comments made by Drew Brees about disrespecting the flag by kneeling during the national anthem.

How Drew Brees Has Hurt So Many Feelings

Bayless discussed with his fellow analyst, Shannon Sharpe, on their show, how last Thursday there was so much outrage over Brees’s comment. He quoted Sharpe on how the “New Orleans Saints are fractured and how it’s going to be very difficult to heal that wound.”

All of Drew’s black teammates condemned the comment. Malcolm Jenkins, New Orleans Saints‘ safety, posted a very emotional video to Instagram highlighting how and why Brees was wrong. Jenkins said that despite having talked with Brees, he couldn’t keep himself from posting the video.

Bayless seems to be very touched by the video. He paraphrased Jenkins a great deal and said that with his privilege, he would make a brilliant advocate for civil rights but he chose a different path. Jenkins said that his forefathers fought for America too, just like Brees’s grandfathers did. But they weren’t given the same heroic treatment as Drew’s ancestors when they returned. Skip felt that with all of this said, “a bridge, at least was on [a] blazing fire. I don’t know if it was burned to the ground. But it was on fire.”

Skip further said that Drew Brees isn’t racist but he doesn’t get it either. He is oblivious to what is happening in the nation. “Drew’s comments represented an elite, white insensitivity where you just live in your own world.” Brees has certainly heard about all incidents of social injustice (or racism, in particular), but “they didn’t hit his heart. He didn’t share any of your gut-wrenching feelings“, Bayless said to Sharpe.

Is There a Hope for Brees to Change?

Towards the end of the video, Bayless asked an important question – “Once a man shows you who he is, is that who he always is going to be?” He further asked if Drew Brees can or has become woke enough that Shannon Sharpe will say, “Okay, I won’t look at him side-eyed now. I’ll accept him as sort of reformed here, as recovering from his position.”

Skip Bayless has been in the news recently regarding the renewal of his 4 year-long, $25 million contract with Fox Sports. A few months ago, it appeared that ESPN and DAZN were also competing to contract Bayless. However, with the ongoing pandemic, Skip’s contract negotiations are expected to take a hit.