Patriots Owner Robert Kraft issued a stinging rebuke to President Trump over his comments, in which he called protesting NFL players “SOB’s.” Kraft called the president’s words “deeply disappointing,” adding that there’s “nothing more divisive than politics.”
Those words, especially coming from a friend, and someone who supported Trump during the campaign, caused quite a stir. On Monday, another Patriot who supported Trump and calls him a friend, distanced himself from the commander-in-chief. During his weekly radio appearance on WEEI in Boston, Tom Brady made it clear that he’s not in agreement with Trump when it comes to athletes who protest in the NFL.
Brady said, “I certainly disagree with what he said,” Brady said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. “I thought it was just divisive.”
When asked if Trump had bigger things he needed to be worried about, other than protesting athletes, Brady said: “I just want to support my teammates. I’m never one that says, ‘Oh, that’s wrong or that’s right.’ But I do believe in what I believe in, and I believe in bringing people together and respect and love and trust. Those are the values that my parents instilled in me and that’s how I try to live every day.
“I’ve been blessed to be in a locker room with guys from all over the United States over the course of my career. Some of my great friends are from Florida, Virginia, New York, Montana, Colorado, Texas. I think one thing about football is that it brings so many guys together, guys that you would never have the opportunity to be around, whether it was in college and all the way into the pros. We’re all different. We’re all unique. That’s what makes us all so special.”
When asked about the Patriots fans who could be heard booing the team on Sunday, Brady said: “No, I think everyone has a right to do whatever they want to do. If you don’t agree with it, that’s fine, you can voice your disagreement; I think that’s great. It’s part of our democracy, as long as it’s done in a peaceful, respectful way. That’s what this country has been all about.”
It’ll be interesting to see if there are any “Make America Great Again” hats to be found in Brady’s locker in 2020.