"Drew showed the ultimate move of a leader. He owned his mistake."
That's Drew Brees' All-Pro teammate, Demario Davis, accepting the QB's apology Thursday ... saying he forgives the future Hall of Famer for his "insensitive" comments on kneeling protests.
"He moved the conversation back to the issue, which he should have spoke on the first time," Davis said on ESPN's "Get Up." "That's the essence of a leader."
Davis says the country as a whole can learn from Drew's situation ... adding, "When you see Drew Brees come out and say, 'You know what, I missed the point, but now I understand my mistake.