While some NFL players are flaunting their workouts on social media in violation of stay-at-home orders, Drew Brees is encouraging everyone to stay home.
The Saints quarterback went on The Ellen Show with the message that the more everyone follows the rules, the quicker sports can return and life can resume at something akin to normal.
“We’re gonna get through this, but we need to get through it together,” Brees told DeGeneres from his home in California, via Amie Just of The Times-Picayne. “We all need to lean on one another. It’s a bit of a, love your neighbor, take care of your neighbor, look out for your neighbor. Everybody has a part in these relief efforts in this recovery. The responsibility to do the right thing in regards to protecting your family and keeping them out of harm’s way and at the same time, that keeps others out of harm’s way as well.
“Nothing about this is normal for anybody, but it has to become the new normal; and it’s the new routine for however long it takes. I think the more disciplined and the more diligent we are with this right now, I think the better off we will come on the back side of this. But there is no doubt in my mind our country, our citizens, our people, we are so resilient. We have so much resolve. We’ve been through so much. And listen, I think the best of Americans will show once we get out of this process and we are on with normal life.”
Brees has contemplated the idea of playing games without fans after hearing that is something the NBA is considering. That would be something Brees has never done.
While at Austin Westlake High School in Texas, Brees played before crowds bigger than at some colleges. In the Big Ten at Purdue, the crowds only grew, and now, every game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is packed.
“It would be really weird,” Brees said. “I hope we’re obviously beyond that and we can get back to that level of normalcy. I think the American people need sports right now.
“People have been able to lean on their local sports teams or national teams to just unite them and get their mind off the challenges of daily life and daily struggle and we don’t even have that right now. That’s another reason why this is so tough. Obviously, we hope that football can be back to normal, or this can be back to normal so that we can play real football.”