Tom Brady confirms phone calls with Donald Trump, talks about ‘friendship’

Tom Brady has led the New England Patriots back to yet another Super Bowl, and he is sure to be asked plenty of questions about the newest president of the United States in the two weeks leading up to the big game. Perhaps he is trying to get them out of the way early.

In his weekly appearance on WEEI’s “Kirk & Callahan Show” Monday morning, Brady was asked about Donald Trump’s claim that the quarterback called him to congratulate him on winning the election. While Brady didn’t confirm nor deny that particular phone call, he did say more about his relationship with Trump than he has before.

“I have called him, yes, in the past. Sometimes he calls me. Sometimes I call,” Brady said. “But, again, that’s been someone I’ve known. I always try to keep it in context because for 16 years you know someone before maybe he was in the position that he was in. He’s been very supportive of me for a long time. It’s just a friendship. I have a lot of friends. I call a lot of people.”

Brady added that he doesn’t understand why people make such a big deal out of his relationship with Trump, and the hosts noted that Trump has some very controversial ideas and opinions.

“I don’t want to get into it, but if you know someone it doesn’t mean you agree with everything they say or they do,” he said. “You have a lot of friends in your life. I think there are things that are based in your own dealings with someone that is a personal dealing, not a public dealing. Because you have personal experiences.

“I don’t believe in a lot of things. Not to denounce anything. There are different things … I’ve known Gerry [Callahan] for a long time and I would consider, I don’t know friends, but would be very cordial if I saw you and I think we would have a lot of things to talk about. I don’t agree with everything. That’s fine, right?”

Trump has made things a bit awkward for Brady by continuously bragging about the support he has received from the three-time Super Bowl MVP and the Patriots organization. Brady said Monday that he doesn’t discuss politics because he doesn’t want to become a distraction for his team, and a report we heard about the divide Trump has created among NFL locker rooms helps explain why Brady feels that is important.