Before Patriots quarterback Tom Brady led the Patriots to a comeback win over the Texans, he stood for the national anthem with one arm intertwined with wide receiver Phillip Dorsett and the other over his heart.
Brady was asked about that after the game and said his message was “there’s just a great love for my teammates.” Brady was also asked about the boos heard at Gillette Stadium as a number of his teammates took a knee during the anthem. Brady didn’t say whether he agreed with President Donald Trump’s feeling that kneeling is unacceptable and reiterated his strong feelings for his teammates when asked about those that took a knee.
“Like I said, I’ve got a lot of love for my teammates,” Brady said in comments distributed by the team. “I mean, we go through a lot together. There’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears. I don’t think it’s easy to play this sport. I mean, there’s a lot of guys that sacrifice a lot. I think you have a lot of respect for the guys who play, not only your own teammates but guys you play against. I mean, without them, it’s not a great game. So, it’s like I said. I believe in all of us coming together.”
Well before the game on Sunday, Brady posted a picture of him and running back James White on Instagram. His caption of “Strength. Passion. Love. Brotherhood. Team. Unity. Commitment. Dedication. Determination. Respect. Loyalty. Work. #nflplayer” sent a similar message to the one he stuck to after the game.
