Charles Barkley says the last 24 hours of hate that Drew Brees has received for his anthem comments are straight-up "overkill" ... and now, he's calling for people to back off the NFL star.
"This level of, 'we've got to kill everybody who says something we don't agree with,'" Barkley said on "NBA on TNT" Thursday, "I am never going with the mob."
Don't get it twisted ... Chuck said Brees' comments were "insensitive," and the NBA Hall of Famer wishes the QB hadn't said them -- but he believes the backlash is too much.