Tom Brady has apologized for his "poor" choice of words after comparing an NFL season to being deployed in the military.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback faced criticism this week after saying on a podcast that he looks at a football season "like I'm going away on deployment for the military," adding, "It's like, 'Man, here I go again.'"
The remark quickly sparked backlash from those who deemed it offensive to veterans. "We both wear a uniform, and our marriages/relationships can be strained, but the similarities end there," one veteran tweeted. "He plays a game to entertain people. We risk our lives to defend this country."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Amid the criticism, Brady apologized at the start of a news conference. "Earlier this week, I made a statement about playing football and the military, and it was a very poor choice of words," he said. "I just want to express that to any sentiments out there that people may have taken in a certain way, so I apologize."
Brady's comments came after he decided to return to the NFL and amid reports that he and his wife, Gisele Bündchen, are headed toward divorce. They reportedly argued over his decision to un-retire from football after just six weeks. In his press conference, Brady said there's "no retirement in my future."
-
‘It’s not normal for parents to raise their children in isolation’instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Is a market crash around the corner?Talking Points Observers see echoes of 1929
-
Frankenstein is alive, the Alabama prison system is exposed and Rose Byrne goes full Crazy Mom in October moviesthe week recommends This month’s new releases include ‘Frankenstein,’ ‘The Alabama Solution’ and ‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literatureSpeed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
