Social and sports media erupted when New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees made his comments about standing for the National Anthem. Teammates that have known Brees for 10-plus years took to their own social platforms to opine on Brees’ comments. ESPN, Fox Sports, and many other sports media had wall-to-wall coverage. The news coverage was brutal for Brees who beforehand had zero controversies. He was generally viewed as a model human and player. The NFL Players Coalition was founded with equality in mind. Since this occurred, other NFL players have stepped into their own issues and made opinions that lots find controversial. The treatment of Drew Brees by media and NFL players was simply too heavy-handed, emotional, and not based on Brees’ malice or intent. The Players Coalition shines a light on Drew Brees’ unequal treatment by the media and NFL Players.
Drew Brees Unequal Treatment by Media and NFL Players
The Drew Brees Controversy and Reaction
In the weeks that followed Brees’ comments, countless NFL players weighed in with their respective opinions on the matter. Teammate Malcolm Jenkins‘ response was done within a few hours of the Brees interview. Jenkins’ comments consisted of tears and foul language. A few teammates defended Brees’ character, but almost all completely ignored the future Hall of Famer’s lifetime of work. Brees was quick to apologize and grovel before the media and NFL player mob which had formed. Brees’ comments could have been seen as ill-timed following the murder of George Floyd; however, there was little to no hurtful intent in his comments. He laid out his personal feelings towards the National Anthem and why he feels proud of being American. The comments were personal and reflected family legacy.
NFL players were not the only ones waiting to opine about the Brees comments. The media were quick to pile on as well. Countless media outlets had articles about the comments and spread far beyond sports. News outlets from CNN to LA Times had articles about Brees. Sports talk shows spent entire shows ripping Brees for days. Even after Brees apologized, there were players and media members who decided it was not enough. Ignoring Brees’ work with charity, the players and media still demanded Brees “prove it” with all his apologies. Contrast this with the reaction to DeSean Jackson‘s recent anti-Semitic comments, Brees’ media cover was far more aggressive.
The DeSean Jackson Controversy and Reaction
Desean Jackson took to Instagram recently and posted several anti-Semitic quotes. His posts were screenshots of Adolf Hitler quotes. Jackson’s posts were far more malicious than any of Brees’. Jackson’s posts hinted at the eradication of the Jewish community in order to make the world a more equitable place. These comments stirred up a few media members but it was very mild, especially when compared with the Brees coverage. These posts are also at a time when anti-Semitic crimes are at some of their highest levels ever.
The NFL Players Coalition has yet to make a statement regarding Jackson’s comments. The posts were not front-page news on ESPN, relegated to a blurb in the news scroll. Jackson has apologized for his comments which some accepted. The media and player outcry over his malicious comments was far lighter than what Brees faced. No NFL players, or very few, have stood up for this inequity towards the Jewish community either. The disparity between Jackson’s and Brees’ coverage is vast. On the NFL Player Coalition website, their mission statement reads as follows. “Players Coalition exists to end social injustices and racial inequality so future generations have the opportunity to thrive without barriers.” This statement seems to indicate that Jackson’s comments fall underneath injustices and inequalities both.
Jackson and Brees Unequal Treatment
The NFL Players Coalition and sports media need to assess how they responded to both Brees and Jackson. The unequal treatment has led to questioning the motives of each. Brees’ treatment could have been less severe. Due to the pandemic and social unrest, the swift outrage can somewhat be explained. The Players Coalition, media, and NFL Players could undo some of the unequal treatment. These organizations could either relax the criticism of Brees or enhance it on Jackson. These organizations give the illusion that their coverage is based on the victim and the offender, not on justice or equality. As of now, it appears as if Drew Brees’ unequal treatment was unjustified.
