(ESPN) New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees issued an apology Thursday for his comments on “disrespecting the flag,” saying he “completely missed the mark” on current issues in the United States and that it “breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused.”
During an interview with Yahoo Finance on Wednesday, Brees reiterated his stance that he will “never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America.” He later told ESPN that he stands with his teammates fighting for racial equality and justice but also with the military, past and present.
The comments drew harsh criticism from a number of people, including his teammate Malcolm Jenkins, who said he was hurt by Brees’ comments and that they were “extremely self-centered.”