Tom Brady has finally explained why he walked away from a press conference after being asked by a reporter about Donald Trump's "locker room talk." Brady called into the Boston-based "Kirk & Callahan Show" on Monday morning and said that he didn't want to be a "distraction" for the Patriots last week. But he also said he still considers Trump a friend.
"It’s just the way it is right now," Brady said. "Obviously, there’s a lot of headlines to make, and I’ve tried not to make a lot of headlines. I’ve been in an organization where we’re taught to say very little, we have respect for our opponents, and we don’t do the trash-talking."
Brady continued by talking about how he doesn't want to become a "distraction" for New England due to his close ties to Trump. "The thing I’ve always thought is I don’t want to be a distraction for the team," he said. "That’s what my goal is. Not that there are things I’ve said and done that haven’t been, but you try not to be. It’s just hard enough to win and prepare without the distractions, so when you start having the distractions, it’s even harder to prepare."
Earlier in his call to the show, Brady also elaborated on his friendship with The Donald. "I met him probably 15, 16 years ago," the 39-year-old quarterback said. "We’ve played golf together many, many times, and I’ve always had a good time with him. He’s been a friend of mine. He’s supported our team. He’s supported the Patriots. He’s been on the Patriots sideline a lot. He’s always called me after games to encourage me over the course of 15 years. That’s kind of the way it is."
Oh, and just in case you're wondering: Brady said he is going to vote in November, though he didn't say who he plans to vote for. "Yeah, I’ll vote," he said. "Maybe we’ll talk about it after Super Tuesday or whatever it is."
