Malcolm Jenkins said New Orleans Saints team-mate Drew Brees "should shut the f*** up" after controversial comments made amid protests in the United States.
Saints star Brees sparked backlash by saying he does not approve of people kneeling in front of the American flag during the USA national anthem in the midst of protests over George Floyd's death.
Floyd – an African-American man – died in Minneapolis after a police officer was filmed kneeling on his neck during an arrest last week.
Violent protests have broken out across the United States since Floyd's death, during which he was filmed crying out for help as he was handcuffed and pinned to the ground.
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began kneeling during the anthem in 2016 to protest against police brutality and racial inequality, and Brees told Yahoo Finance on Wednesday that he believes the gesture is disrespectful to those in the military.
Jenkins – who has returned to the Saints after winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 – hit out at Brees in a since deleted social media video.
"Our communities are under siege and we need help," Jenkins said via Instagram. "And what you're telling us is don't ask for help that way, ask for it a different way. I can't listen to it when you ask that way. We're done asking, Drew. And people who share your sentiments, who express those, and push them throughout the world, the airwaves, are the problem.
"And it's unfortunate because I considered you a friend. I looked up to you. You're somebody who I had a great deal of respect for. But sometimes you should shut the f*** up."
Saints safety Jenkins uploaded another video, and the tearful 32-year-old said: "Drew Brees, if you don't understand how hurtful, how insensitive your comments are, you are part of the problem.
"To think that because your grandfathers served in this country, and you have a great respect for the flag that everybody else should have the same ideals as and thoughts that you do is ridiculous.
"It shows that you don't know history, because when our grandfathers fought for this country and served, and they came back ... they didn't come back to a hero's welcome. They came back and got attacked for wearing their uniforms. They came back to racism, to complete violence.
"Here we are in 2020 with the whole country on fire, everybody witnessing a black man dying, being murdered at the hands of the police, just in cold blood for everybody to see, the whole country’s on fire. And the first thing that you do is criticise one's peaceful protest?"