Tom Brady finally revealed his feelings over the Patriots-Antonio Brown saga in New England.
Brady said during his usual weekly interview with WEEI that what went down with Brown was "unfortunate" but added he cares a lot about his teammates beyond football.
“I do have a lot of personal feelings, none of which I really care to share," he said. "That is about it. It’s a difficult situation. That’s kind of how I feel.”
Brady didn't say any more on Brown specifically but said when he invests in his teammates he tries to be as open and caring as possible.
“There’s a lot of human elements and I think because as a player and a person I care deeply about my teammates," Brady said. "I want everyone to be the best they can possibly be. From the day I started with this team, even back I’d say in college, it’s such a tight-knit group and you want everyone to become the best they can possibly be and you try to provide leadership. You try to care for people. You try to provide whatever you think you can to help them reach their highest potential, whatever situation it is. I’ve had a lot of teammates over the years. You invest not just your head, but your heart. You invest your soul. That is what makes a great team. That is what makes a great brotherhood. I think in the end, that is the endearing trait about sports. ...
"I am very optimistic. People who know me, I think know how optimistic I am and just my belief that positivity and optimism can overcome a lot of things. There’s a lot of things that get in the way of that, and again, I think we’re in a culture that we want to pass judgment so quickly on people. We want to disparage people so quickly. It speaks to me that a lot of people are probably hurting because when you’re not feeling great you want other people to know that. I think it becomes very emotional and again, it’s a tough life. Life is not easy. Football is not easy. Evolving and growing as people is not an easy thing."
It was reported Brady was trying to make Brown feel as welcome as possible, even offering to put him up in his home while Brown searched for a place to live.
The decision to release Brown came after he reportedly sent threatening text messages to one of the women who accused him of sexual misconduct. Team owner Robert Kraft reportedly was "enraged" over Brown's alleged actions, which prompted him and the Patriots' brass to cut him.
Brown released a series of tweets before Sunday's slate of games, saying he was done with the NFL and that he was going to do what he could to get the guaranteed money from his contracts with the Patriots and Raiders.
Brown was with the Patriots for less than two weeks when he was released. Just one day after he signed with New England, a civil suit from his former trainer, Britney Taylor, came out, where she accused him of two counts of sexual assault and one count of rape over a two-year period.