Patriots Tom Brady apologizes for comparing NFL season to military deployment The former Patriots quarterback said he made a “very poor” choice of words. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady gives a broadcast interview after the team’s NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins) The Associated Press
Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady apologized at a press conference Thursday for comparing an NFL football season to military deployment.
“Before we start, can I say one thing?” Brady said. “Earlier this week I made a statement about playing football and the military and it was a very poor choice of words. I just want to express that to any sentiments out there that people may have taken it in a certain way, so I apologize.”
The comments came during an appearance on the “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray.
“I almost look at a football season like you’re going away on deployment,” Brady said last week. “And it’s like ‘man, here I go again.’ And there is only one way to do it, and I think Jim we’ve talked from time to time about how do you enjoy certain moments of it.
Brady said that all a professional athlete can do when balancing work and life responsibilities is be authentic to themselves.
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“The reality is that when it comes down to it your competitiveness takes over,” Brady said. “And as much as you want to have a playful balance with the work balance, you’re going to end up doing what you’ve always done which is why you are who you are.”
When asked at the press conference to clarify what he meant by the comments, Brady declined to go into further detail.
“To be honest I don’t really want to expand on it too much,” Brady said. “I have a tremendous amount of gratitude to everyone who served. In the end, we play a game, and the military is defending our country. It’s two very different things and I shouldn’t have made the comparison. “