Tom Brady posts picture of unity amid Donald Trump comments
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has made his sentiments known as other players around the league engage in national anthem protests.
As one of the most prominent players in the NFL, fans and media are always curious to know what Tom Brady is thinking on any issue pertinent to the league. Brady tried to get ahead of that game on Sunday by issuing a statement on his official Facebook page.
Brady didn’t implicitly state any thoughts or feelings on the comments made by Donald Trump about NFL players who stage protests during “The Star Spangled Banner.” Brady didn’t voice any opinion of his own on that same matter, either. The crux of Brady’s comments were his prioritization of unity not only with his teammates, but across the broad spectrum of all NFL players.
Strength. Passion. Love. Brotherhood. Team. Unity. Commitment. Dedication. Determination. Loyalty. Work. #nflplayer
Posted by Tom Brady on Sunday, September 24, 2017
This statement is consistent for the locker room that Brady is a part of, as demonstrated by a social media post by one of Brady’s teammates, offensive lineman Nate Solder.
stand or kneel, that's a free choice, you won't see any division in this locker room over that, we respect each other too much.
— Nate Solder (@soldernate) September 24, 2017
It’s somewhat in contrast to the statement that Brady’s boss, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, made on Trump’s comments, however. Kraft, despite being an outspoken supporter of Trump during his 2016 campaign, was critical of Trump’s comments.
Statement from #Patriots Chairman & CEO Robert Kraft: pic.twitter.com/f5DJeK0Woj
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 24, 2017
Besides being in the Patriots’ organization, Trump support in the 2016 election was something that Brady shared with Kraft. If Brady still holds that sentiment is unclear in this statement, but how he will work that dynamic out with his teammates is an internal matter between co-workers. That’s where Brady’s statement is putting the focus.
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Whether or not any Patriots players, Brady included, will take any action when the team hosts the Houston Texans on Sunday remains to be seen. What’s certain from this statement is that Brady’s priority is not to let the matter divide his locker room.