Tom Brady hasn’t said much about his good friend Donald Trump in a while, and for good reason. Trump hasn’t exactly been making friends in the NFL lately, and there was also that bit of weirdness when he skipped visiting the White House after the Patriots won the Super Bowl.
With the explosion of on-field protests this weekend after Trump’s further comments about the right of players to protest police violence against people of color, many hoped Brady would speak out and either support Trump’s comments or criticize his friend.
Brady didn’t say much after the Patriots won against Houston on Sunday, but he appeared on Boston radio station WEEI on Monday and was asked about Trump. The Patriots quarterback didn’t give a very decisive statement, but according to The New York Times said he disagreed with Trump’s comments about the players’ right to protest.
“Yeah, I certainly disagree with what he said,” Brady said. “I thought it was just divisive.”
“Like I said, I just want to support my teammates. I am never one to say: ‘Oh, that is wrong. That is right.’ I do believe in what I believe in. I believe in bringing people together and respect and love and trust. Those are the values that my parents instilled in me. That is how I try and live every day.”
“We’re all different, we’re all unique. That is what makes us all special.”
Brady said he understood why some of his teammates would want to protest and also why others would find that offensive.
“Everyone deals with different challenges in their life and you respect everyone’s opinions and views,” he said. “You don’t have to agree with everything. It’s hard to agree with your own wife on everything from day-to-day. I have so much respect for my teammates and what we’re trying to accomplish. Hopefully we can keep marching toward this end of the season, keep making improvements, get better and win more football games.”
“If you don’t agree, that is fine. You can voice your disagreement, I think that is great. It’s part of our democracy. As long as it is done in a peaceful, respectful way, that is what our country has been all about.”
“Peace” and “love” were common words used throughout the NFL over the weekend, but the biggest word Brady didn’t use here was “brotherhood.” Many players felt that Trump was attacking their collective ability to use their First Amendment rights, and that made many in the league want to stand — or kneel — together to honor that brotherhood.
For Brady, it seems, that brotherhood is stronger than the friendship he has with Trump.
