Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl-winning retired quarterback who holds, it seems, every record worth holding for a quarterback, is also a human being â one with feelings like everyone else. Last week, a former Brady teammate went online in what looked like a disrespectful attempt to hurt those feelings.
On Tuesday, Brady finally offered his thoughts on the online post by four-time All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown, on his relationship with Brown who was Brady’s teammate with two different organizations â and on the 36-year-old’s mental health.
Brady, 47, spoke out on Brown during an appearance on the Impaulsive podcast hosted by online influencer Logan Paul.
Brown joined Brady with the New England Patriots on September 7, 2019, just seven months after the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in Super Bowl 53, to capture the sixth NFL championship for the franchise, and for Brady.
The Patriots signed Brown to what was supposed to be one-year, $15 million contract, including incentives, just hours after he was released by the Raiders, then playing their final season in Oakland.
He asked for his release from the Raiders in an Instagram post, a bizarre decision that led the team to slap Brown with a $215,000 “detrimental conduct” fine and void the more that $29 million in guaranteed money the Raiders owed him.
Brown Can’t Let Go of Old Quarterback Feuds
Brown was traded to Oakland after nine tumultuous years with the Pittsburgh Steelers where, among other issues involving his behavior, he engaged in a long-running feud with future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, even one throwing a football to the quarterback.
About two weeks ago, seven years after departing the Steelers, Brown attempted to reignite the feud, posting a crude and inappropriate message online alleging that in 2011 he had engaged in sexual acts with Roethlisberger’s sister, Carlee Roethlisberger, who at that time was a star player on the Oklahoma University women’s basketball team.
Just a few days after attacking one of his former quarterbacks, Brown lashed out at another, Brady. The pair were united for one game on the Patriots, connecting on four passes including a touchdown. New England quickly released Brown, however, when multiple sexual assault allegations surfaced against him.
Brady later recruited Brown to join him on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team-up that ended with more outrageous Brown behavior.
During a January, 2022, game against the New York Jets, Brown suddenly stripped off his uniform and stormed from the field shirtless. That incident , following previous suspensions, caused head coach Bruce Arians to bar Brown from the team. The wide receiver has not played in the NFL since.
Brown last week posted an apparently private Instagram message exchange with Brady, in which the legendary quarterback asked after Brown’s well-being, and attempted to encourage him.
“Love how you are working,” Brady wrote to Brown. “Please don’t miss your psychologist appointments.”
Brady went on to post advice for Brown in three separate areas.
“PHYSICAL – you have mastered and it is easy for you to work hard. MENTAL – you are very smart and you know the game. EMOTIONAL – we all need to work on this. We are emotional beings. You need to work equally as hard here!” Brady wrote.
Brown’s response was dismissive. “Please don’t miss Psychologist appointments…. WTF.”
Brady: ‘I Always Root For the Best’
On Paul’s show Brady was asked about the Brown post â though he was circumspect (as Brady often is on many issues) when it came to confronting Brown’s behavior directly.
“I wanted the best for him. I think I saw a spark in him, that if put in the right place, how incredible it could be for not just the team he was on, but for his life and what he could accomplish,” Brady said on the podcast. “I always hope for the best for him. I met him, and I always admired him as a player.”
Brady then continued, commenting on Brown’s time in Tampa Bay.
“We ended up going to Tampa, and then he came back after a suspension in Tampa, and I just thought, okay, if I can help him, I’d love to help him because he’d help our team â he’d help his life,” Brady said. “And again, I always root for the best.”
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