NFL
The MVP Quarterback Opens Up
The June 17th installment of Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday will be unlike any other. While the TV personality typically sits with politicians, authors, and media moguls, her show will highlight another arena of American life.
In the upcoming hour-long special, Oprah sits down with New England Quarterback Tom Brady to discuss his life both on and off the field. Chief among these topics was how Brady and the Patriots dealt with the league-wide Anthem Protest.
"I want to be the best that I can be." This Father's Day, @Oprah sits down with @Patriots quarterback #TomBrady. Streaming Sunday 11a EST | 8a PST on air and on @SuperSoul Facebook Watch. pic.twitter.com/zTFFPd2GtS
— OprahWinfrey Network (@OWNTV) June 14, 2018
Brady’s Thoughts On The NFL’s National Anthem Protest
During the sit-down special, which premieres on Father’s Day, Oprah asked Tom Brady about what’s been on everyone’s mind. Inquiring into his thoughts on the National Anthem Protest, Brady provided an interesting, yet vague response.
Tom Brady locks arms with Phillip Dorset (#13) during Patriots “Unity” Anthem Protest (image provided by @JoeGiza via Twitter)
To start Brady discussed the outcomes, mostly positive, that came from the protests.
“There were a lot of really good, healthy conversations coming out of it in our locker room” according to Brady.
The all-time great QB added, “The great part about sports are relationships… I’ve been with guys of every color, race, belief, and I respect why people are doing what they’re doing.”
Of the discussions held within the locker room, Brady elaborated. “There were a lot [of healthy conversations]. Meetings after practice talking about how we wanted to deal with that particular situation, taking a knee. We chose to lock arms and put arms around each other.”
In the interview, Brady explains that a level of respect and empathy are required in situations like this. In solidarity with their struggles, Tom was in strong support of his football family all season. With arms linked, Tom Brady and other Patriots exemplified unity and brotherhood over the course of the protest.
Reaction To Brady’s Comments
The always calm and collected Brady offered viewers a very neutral response. As usual with the quarterback, his comments were carefully formulated in such a way as to avoid backlash from either side.
There have been a variety of reactions within the sports world to Brady’s comments.
Many have praised Brady for his remarks on the protest. His message of empathy and unity acted as a warmer middle ground in a normally contentious, two-sided debate.
However, many found issue with the All-Pro quarterback’s weak stance. Some have criticized the remarks as too soft of a stance on such a major issue. Brady, the widely accepted “face of the NFL,” seemed to give an answer aimed to distance himself from the issue entirely. By speaking in vague generalities, Tom Brady was able to effectively get out of answering the question. While his message of empathy towards all players is wonderful, it is also a non-answer.
Information On The Special
Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday with Tom Brady airs tomorrow, June 17th, at 11am ET on the OWN Network. The content will also be viewable on the OWN Podcast. Part 1 of the sit-down will be released Monday, June 18th, while Part 2 is set to release on the streaming service Wednesday, June 20th.
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This article was originally written by former TSJ101SPORTS NFL Department Head and writer William Zurcher. Due to systems modalities, the article has been assigned to the author tag designation “Former Writers”.
