USA Today Sports
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady took a stand Monday, distancing himself from President Trump’s recent attacks on National Football League players who kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality. “I certainly disagree with what he said. I thought it was just divisive,” Brady said on radio show Kirk & Callahan. Trump stirred controversy at an Alabama rally last week when he accused kneeling players of “disrespecting” the American flag. “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. He is fired,’” Trump said. In response, Brady said on Monday: “I believe in bringing people together and respect and love and trust.” Brady added, “I just want to support my teammates.” Soon after Brady’s interview, Trump unleashed a routine tweetstorm in which he claimed that the “issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!”