Did Drew Brees retire? Why Drew Brees' comments on the national anthem turned against him?

On Wednesday (Thursday IST), New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was criticized for his comments about Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the pre-game national anthem in 2016. Several NFL players called him out, which caused fans to once again ask 'Did Drew Brees retire?'. Rumours about Brees' retirement have been around for months. The Drew Brees retires rumours increased after he reportedly signed a post-retirement deal with NBC Sports.

Also read | Why does Colin Kaepernick kneel during national anthem? Drew Brees finds it disrespectful, Did Drew Brees retire

Did Drew Brees retire due to his comments on the national anthem?

Drew Brees has addressed his retirement many times and even admitted to contemplating retirement after the 2019 season. However, he signed up with Saints for two more years. As per reports, there are multiple career options available for Brees after he retired from the NFL. ESPN apparently offered him a position as the next voice of Monday Night Football. Some reports have stated that with the backlash he has received, he might consider retiring next season. 

When Kaepernick first knelt during the national anthem, Drew Brees was not supportive. During an interview with Yahoo Finance On the Move, Brees revealed that his views remain the same. Brees stated that he will 'never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America'. He also said that he will say and tell what he feels when the national anthem is played and when he looks at the flag of the United States.

Brees shared that he thinks about his grandfathers who defended the country during World War II. He explained that both of them risked their lives to protect the country, trying to make the place and world a better place. NFL stars like Aaron Rodgers, Malcolm Jenkins, Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Emmanuel Sanders called out Brees on social media and many others called him ignorant as well.

Also read | Did Drew Brees retire? Players slam Drew Brees comments, Jenkins makes Drew Brees retires comment

Drew Brees NBC Sports contract

As per reports, the Drew Brees NBC Sports contract could be to replace Chris Collinsworth on Sunday Night Football. The deal would become active after the 41-year-old NFL star retires. In an interview, NBC Sports spokesperson Greg Hughes stated that they ae looking 'forward to watching Drew continue his Hall of Fame career', and are 'confident his post-playing career will be just as successful'. Brees could also become an analyst for Football Night in America. Earlier, Saints head coach Sean Payton had called the current NFL season as Brees' 'last'. He corrected himself in an interview earlier this month, calling himself a 'big dummy' and stating that he does now know which year will be Brees' last. 

Also read | Did Drew Brees retire? Drew Brees comments face backlash, Jenkins makes Drew Brees retires comment and Drew Brees Saints contract

Also read | Drew Brees comments, Did Drew Brees retire? NFL player Malcolm Jenkins rips teammate, makes Drew Brees retires comment