Spike Lee reportedly compliments Drew Brees for standing up to Donald Trump in meeting with Saints

Jason Owens
Updated

Spike Lee is standing up for Drew Brees.

The acclaimed film director reportedly met with the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday and complimented the New Orleans Saints quarterback for standing up to President Donald Trump amid the fallout from his comments on NFL player protests.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Lee met with team members on a Zoom call for 45 minutes and spoke about his experiences with race relations. The players “loved” Lee, according to the report.

What led to Brees-Trump social media confrontation

Brees drew widespread criticism after telling Yahoo Finance last week that players who protested social injustice and police brutality during the national anthem were “disrespecting the flag.”

After the backlash that came from the larger sports community and his Saints teammates, Brees issued two apologies, vowing to become a “part of the solution” in standing up for equal opportunity and social justice.

Some of his Saints teammates accepted the apology.

Spike Lee reportedly spent 45 minutes in a Zoom meeting with Saints players. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
Spike Lee reportedly spent 45 minutes in a Zoom meeting with Saints players. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Meanwhile, Trump seized the moment as an opportunity to reignite the false narrative that protests led by Colin Kaepernick were a symbol of disrespect to the American flag instead of calls for change. Trump said that Brees shouldn’t have apologized for his remarks.

Brees responded with an Instagram messaged addressed directly to Trump proclaiming “this is not an issue about the American flag. It has never been.”

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Lee presumably complimented Brees for that Instagram post.

Lee’s films like 2019 Oscar winner “BlacKkKlansman” often tackle issues of America’s turbulent history with race relations. His 1989 breakthrough “Do the Right Thing” dealt directly with police brutality and its impact on black communities.

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Originally published