Drew Brees National Anthem Controversy Won’t Hinder New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl Chances

Sorry to interrupt the glee of others around the NFL, but the New Orleans Saints will be just fine, thank you.

The combination of Drew Brees giving his version of patriotism, fuming teammates in the aftermath and protesters responding to the George Floyd murder is already yesterday’s news.

Literally.

I’m not saying it’s right.

I’m just saying.

The Saints are moving on with the rest of their impressive NFL lives, especially since Brees (ahem) apologized Thursday for continuing his clueless mantra of the last four years involving kneelers during the national anthem.

For nearly 24 hours, Brees had a bull’s-eye threatening to replace the No. 9 on his Saints jersey, but it didn’t matter if he responded with regret or defiance after getting ripped by even teammates for his comments.

Among the most overrated things in sports is the need for harmony in locker rooms and clubhouses at the professional level.

Is that the ghost of Al Davis I hear?

Just win, baby.

Read the following and think Saints.

Think Brees controversy.

Think overrated regarding wins and losses for the 2020 Saints.

Earlier this week, the New York Supreme Court ruled against Lenny Dykstra suing former Mets teammate Ron Darling for defamation of character. Darling wrote in a book that Dykstra hurled racial slurs from the on-deck circle at Boston’s Fenway Park against Red Sox pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd before Game 3 of the 1986 World Series.

Boyd is black, and Dykstra isn’t.

Justice Robert D. Kalish dismissed the case. He said of Dykstra, ''Based on the papers submitted on this motion, prior to the publication of the book, Dykstra was infamous for being, among other things, racist, misogynist, and anti-gay, as well as a sexual predator, a drug-abuser, a thief, and an embezzler.”

Even so, African American like of Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden and Kevin Mitchell kept their mouths shut publicly about a teammate that Kalish said displayed overall “bigotry.”

Dykstra ripped a home run off Boyd to start that Game 3, and courtesy of his .296 batting average through Game 7, he was hugged by his teammates like everybody else after the Mets won it all.

The bottom line, baby.

The same attitude of see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil among teammates went for Tom Brady in September 2015, when somebody spotted a MAGA (Make American Great Again) cap in his locker for the New England Patriots.

Brady was an open supporter of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, a divisive figure among African Americans.

Such also was the case after Trump took the Oval Office a couple of years later and called former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other mostly black NFL players SOBs for kneeling during the national anthem for social justice. (Well, at least Brees didn’t call the kneelers names).

Brady’s political ideology damaged the Patriots’ karma so much that the franchise labelled as the league’s second most valuable at $4.1 billion by Forbes proceeded to win two of three more Super Bowl appearances.

Elsewhere, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal never exchanged Christmas cards, because Shaq called Kobe “a snitch,” among other things, but they teamed for three straight NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Finally, did you see “The Last Dance,” ESPN’s 10-part documentary on the journey of Micahel Jordan and his Chicago Bulls to six world championships?

Jordan’s teammates were furious with the superstar and likely wished he’d put his dangling tongue away for once.

So even if this self-inflicted mess by Brees lingers through the season, no worries for the Who Dat Nation.

It’s talent over feelings for most teams that win championships, and if you go by ESPN’s NFL Football Power Index, only the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers rank higher than the Saints.

Brees still did the inevitable Thursday. He apologized through social media for putting both of his cleats in his mouth the day before.

That’s when Brees showed awful timing by repeating his “support the flag” speech, which started when Kaepernick triggered his 2016 movement of NFL players kneeling in peaceful protest during the national anthem.

Before long Wednesday, Saints players joined others to blast Brees directly or indirectly for chastising folks pouring into the streets everywhere to demonstrate against the targeting and the killing of African Americans by cops after a Minneapolis police officer choked Floyd to death last week with his knee.

Then Brees said he was sorry.

Then Saints linebacker Demario Davis told CNN of Brees’ response, “I think that is a form of true leadership. That’s taking ownership.”

What about Malcolm Jenkins, you say?

The Saints defensive back is an ardent supporter of Kaepernick, and Jenkins did an emotional video Wednesday on social media ripping Brees before telling his teammate that he called a friend to “Shut the (Bleep) up.”

Jenkins eventually deleted the video, because he said he "knew it [would] be more about the headlines.”

Translated: Jenkins remembered Brees is the NFL’s all-time leader for passing and touchdowns.

Not only that, but Jenkins remembered Brees still can throw with his nearly 41-year-old arm, and that each player on the Kansas City Chiefs received a bonus check of $124,000 for winning the Super Bowl last season, and that Brees can help the Saints win this Super Bowl.

So Jenkins released a second Brees-related video, this one with less anger.

ESPN’s NFL Football Power Index ranks the Saints only behind the Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens or San Francisco 49ers.

That’s about right for a team with offensive potency beyond Brees, ranging from the NFL’s premier offensive line to elite receivers Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook to complement a nice running game.

The Saints also have Pro Bowlers on special teams such as kicker Wil Lutz, punter Thomas Morstead and returner Deonte Harris.

On defense, Cameron Jordan, Marshon Lattimore and Jenkins are accomplished veterans.

Which means, if Brees and his suddenly forgiving teammates grab the Lombardi Trophy this season by doing what they’ll likely do, which is ignore the other stuff . . .

Those who spent Wednesday night in the New Orleans streets chanting Brees’ name with a profanity will keep chanting his name.

But only without the profanity.

As in . . .

We won, baby.