Tom Brady is recognized as the greatest quarterback to ever play the game of football. He’s also been rumored to be a confidant of former President Donald Trump, who was POTUS from for four years after winning the 2016 presidential election. Many believed the two had a great friendship after a video in 2015 showed Brady’s Patriots locker with a “Make America Great Again” hat.
And while Brady never tried to debunk the notion of that rumor, in an interview with Variety, the seven-time Super Bowl winner wanted to clear up some things, starting with why he shared a couple of rounds of golf with Trump in the past.
“This was 17 or 18 years ago. I was so young, I got to go to a private golf course. I thought it was the coolest thing in the world,” Brady said.
Brady insisted that the two haven’t had much contact in years.
“No I haven’t talked to him in a lot of years,” Brady reiterated.
Basically, Brady is saying he doesn’t have a relationship with Trump, and besides playing golf with Da Don early in Brady’s NFL career, there hasn’t been much interaction between the two. But the hat in his locker caused quite a media stir at the time.
And based on prior reports, Brady and Trump were more than just casual acquaintances. Brady even referred to him as a “good friend.”
“I mean it’s pretty amazing what he’s been able to accomplish,” Brady said back in 2015. adding that he first met Trump when he judged one of his beauty pageants in 2012.
“He obviously appeals to a lot of people, and he’s a hell of a lot of fun to play golf with,” Brady raved.
With Brady the face of the league at that time, and the Colin Kaepernick drama just starting to really take off, Brady’s relationship or affiliation with Trump was often used for political purposes. While Brady never divulged his vote, most assumed that he was a Trump supporter.
Tom Brady the other day with a sneaky #MAGA #Trump hat in his locker. The Internet sees your support. pic.twitter.com/P68oPb6wzN
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) October 12, 2016
Relationship Mischaracterized By Media?
Years later, and Brady is blaming the media for the perception that him and Trump were fam.
“I think the press just mischaracterized a lot. And my character isn’t to ever insult anybody. I have plenty of my own flaws. I’m not here to point out anyone else’s flaws. There are things I always agree with. There are things that I don’t. There are things I agree with my wife about. There are things that I don’t. I love her to death, but we don’t always see eye to eye. I don’t see eye to eye with anyone. And I’m not responsible for what other people say. I’m really responsible for what I say. So, if people want to say things that I said or that I’m about, that’s up to them, and I’m not going to respond to all those things all the time either.”
Per Brady, the infamous hat, also worn by other prominent sports and entertainment figures such as Kanye West, was sent to him by Trump via Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Brady added this tidbit concerning the hat situation.
“He always gives me a call and different types of motivation speeches at different times.”
But Brady had to know putting something like that in his locker would bring attention, both good and bad.
Brady Never Publicly Endorsed Any Candidate For President: Visited White House In 2021
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers visited the White House as reigning Super Bowl champions in July 2021. Brady was there front and center. He previously skipped appearances when both Trump and Barack Obama were in the Oval Office.
Tom Brady's appearance at the White House today is a reminder that, contrary to what a lot of people think, Brady never publicly supported Trump in either 2016 or 2020. Brady said one time in 2015 that he thought it would be cool to have a guy he'd golfed with in the White House.
— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) July 20, 2021
What’s obvious is Brady spoke highly of Trump as far as playing golf, but he also never publicly endorsed Trump during either campaign. The hat in his locker said enough.
