Tom Brady Apologizes for Comparing NFL Season to Military Deployment: 'Two Very Different Things'

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire via Getty

Before hearing questions from reporters, Brady, 45, asked if he could “say one thing” at the podium.

“Earlier this week, I made a statement about playing football and the military and it was a very poor choice of words,” he began.

“I wanted to express that — for any sentiments out there that people may have taken it in a certain way, so I apologize.”

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback told the media he has a “tremendous amount of gratitude for everyone who serves” before he said, “In the end, we play a game and the military is defending our country.”

Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty

During Monday’s episode of his SiriusXM show,“Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald, and Jim Gray”, the Super Bowl champion had compared starting a new football season to being away on a military deployment.

“I almost look at like a football season like you’re going away on deployment in the military, and it’s like, man, here I go again,” said Brady.

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He continued on the subject, saying that his strong competitive spirit often takes over when he’s dealing with the long hours in the league.

“When it comes down to it, your competitiveness takes over and as much as you want to have this playful balance with the work balance, you’re going to end up doing exactly what you’ve always done, which is why you are who you are.”

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Co-host Jim Gray, 62, asked the NFL star how he’s able to “ignore the microscope” his life is under, which has only gotten closer as he andwife Gisele Bündchen continue to make headlinesfor their marital troubles.

“You just kind of ignore it all,” said Gray. “Does it not make a difference to you what’s going on online and social media?”

Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen.Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Brady responded: “Well I think the point is everyone should just be authentic to who they are. You know, some people approach it in different ways and it just has to work for them as part of your personality.”

The athlete said his “style” when it comes to outside speculation is “to just ignore as much as possible and realize that most of the people in the conversation don’t have a full idea of what’s really going on.”

source: people.com