"You better have that empathy": When Tom Brady spoke out on Trump's National Anthem controversy

NFL legend Tom Brady is one of the most well-reputed athletes in the country and he is even friends with people in positions of power, including two-time US presidential election winner, Donald Trump. The current president-elect was once involved in a heated controversy during his controversial first tenure when he spoke out against athletes, especially NFL players.

Trump called out the league for the fact that they allowed players to kneel during the national anthem, a movement started by Colin Kaepernick. However, Tom Brady didn’t agree with his businessman-turned-politician friend's views and spoke out during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in June 2018.

“We support what people are going through," Brady said. "I've been playing sports long enough. Everyone comes from something different. And I think showing respect for everybody is—you know, in a locker room with a team of guys trying to go in the same direction, you better have that empathy for everybody.”

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Athletes speak out against Tom Brady's friend, Donald Trump

Brady’s words were a direct jibe against Trump, who criticized players for kneeling or not singing during the anthem. Trump even called out Kaepernick during a rally in Alabama in 2017. He said:

“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b***h off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’”

Many athletes including NBA superstar LeBron James and NFL star Aaron Rodgers raised their voice against Trump after his statement.

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Are Tom Brady and Donald Trump still friends?

Despite Tom Brady's comments against Donald Trump, it appears that Brady has maintained his friendship with Trump. In an interview last year before the presidential election, Antonio Brown confirmed that Brady was indeed friends with Trump.

“I talked to him on the phone with Brady one time,” Brown said in an appearance on Jason Whitlock’s podcast.

Brady spoke about Trump in a 2015 interview and said:

“I have known him for a long time. I support all my friends. That is what I have to say. He's a good friend of mine. He's always been so supportive of me.”