ESPN “First Take” co-host Stephen A. Smith said as the face of the NFL, “it would be nice” to see New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady take a stance one way or the other in the National Anthem debate.
Smith was reacting to Brady’s interview with Oprah Winfrey where he said he and his teammates had “healthy conversations” regarding players kneeling during the National Anthem.
“I think in the case of Tom Brady, he usually passes the baton on things like. And I understand it from the standpoint that he’s paid to play football, obviously, paid to be great, trying to go out there and win Super Bowls and what have you. And some people are going to be reluctant to speak up and speak out on certain issues,” Smith said.
He continued, “The thing that I find unique about Tom Brady, however, is that he is the face of the NFL. And when the NFL is going through big-time issues, it would be nice to see him step up and take a position, whatever that may be, as opposed to just going along and playing and playing along, it would be nice to see him take a stance and to speak intelligently and articulately about it, which I obviously know that he’s capable of doing.”
Smith went on to reason he wants the quarterback to speak up because “the world would have to pay attention because he’s that significant.”
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