Tom Brady seemed rather detached when asked about his reaction to Josh Gordon's suspension for substance abuse and the Patriots wide receiver's decision to step away from football.
"I didn't have much of a reaction," Brady said from the podium at his Friday press conference. "Just focusing on what I need to do, and that's the way it's been all year."
On social media, however, Brady signaled a show of support for his troubled teammate. As did fellow wide receiver Julian Edelman. Edelman changed his profile picture and Brady's Instagram post included a "Prayers Up" message, as the Providence Journal's Mark Daniels noted:
On Thursday, when Gordon left the team and the suspension was announced, several Patriots said the concern for Gordon went beyond the football field.
"I think we have a tendency to be so infatuated with what's going on on the football field as players as media members that we lose sight of what's going on with the man sometimes," Matthew Slater said. "Our real concern is with him as a man."
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