Tom Brady and Donald Trump have been friends for years but the Patriots quarterback, like hundreds of other NFL players, locked arms with his teammates during the national anthem on Sunday as a sign of unity against comments made by the president.
"Wouldn't you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, 'Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out. He's fired. He's fired!'" Trump said Friday night at a rally in Alabama.
On Monday, Brady made it clear that he disagreed with Trump.
"I thought it was just divisive," he told WEEI's "Kirk & Callahan." "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. I have been blessed to be in locker rooms with guys 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. The one thing about football is it brings so many guys together -- guys 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 is what makes us all special."
Brady reiterated much of what he said after Sunday's victory over the Texans.
"I've got love for my teammates," the quarterback told reporters. "I mean, we go through a lot together. There's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I don't think it's easy to play this sport. I mean, there's a lot of guys that sacrifice a lot. I think you have a lot of respect for the guys who play, not only your teammates, but guys you play against. I believe in all of us coming together."
Meanwhile, at least 26 teams have spoken out against the president, with Patriots owner Bob Kraft's rebuke being among the most vociferous. Kraft, who considers Trump a close friend, also donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration celebration.
"I am deeply disappointed by the tone of the comments made by the President on Friday," Kraft said in a statement. "I am proud to be associated with so many players who make such tremendous contributions in positively impacting our communities. Their efforts, both on and off the field, help bring people together and make our community stronger.
"There is no greater unifier in this country than sports, and unfortunately, nothing more divisive than politics. I think our political leaders could learn a lot from the lessons of teamwork and the importance of working together toward a common goal. Our players are intelligent, thoughtful, and care deeply about our community and I support their right to peacefully affect social change and raise awareness in a manner that they feel is most impactful."
For a recap of everything that has happened in response to Trump's remarks, be sure to read this.
