New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has voiced varying levels of support for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, but on Wednesday, he tried to duck the topic of his recent controversial remarks.
Brady was asked by a reporter during his press conference how he would respond to his children hearing Trump’s version of “locker room talk,” citing the excuse Trump made when confronted with his recently unearthed comments about sexually assaulting women, comments that other athletes have quickly weighed in on. Brady’s response was to thank the reporters in attendance and leave the room.
Brady is, obviously, free to support whoever he chooses in the race for the presidency. When a Trump hat appeared in his locker, he opened himself up to questions about his choice, though he’s well within his rights to deflect or decline to answer those too, as he has. Trump’s comments, however, are beyond being a partisan matter. Brady has spoken highly of Trump before, and what’s more, the comments enter a realm that Brady would be familiar with and be able to speak with some authority on. To ask him to speak on them, especially as they relate to his own children, is an entirely fair question, and you don’t need to be a saint or a partisan to condemn both the remarks and the excuse for them. Brady chose not to, and that is immensely disappointing.
