Tom Brady was viciously trolled by army veterans for his controversial take on deployment
Not all of Tom Brady's comments have had the desired effect on people. Considering his long career and huge fan base, the star QB has landed in trouble a few times. A few months ago, Brady was under fire for his controversial comments comparing preparations for an NFL season with army deployment.
While on his Let's Go! podcast, Brady ended up comparing being in the service to going and playing in the NFL. His exact comparison, however, narrowed down to deployment and the NFL season.
“I almost look at, like a football season, like you’re going away on deployment in the military, and it’s like, ‘Man, here I go again,’” Tom Brady told Kevin Durant on the podcast.
He added:
“There’s really only one way to do it… The reality is you can really only be authentic to yourself, right?”
Many fans and social media users reacted angrily to Brady's comments on Twitter. A few of them thought it was okay, while others were genuinely upset at the comparison.
The most serious reactions came from those who have actually served in the armed forces. They pointed out the huge difference between the responsibilities and dangers involved in the two jobs Brady compared.
Tom Brady thinks playing football is like going on military deployment.
We both wear a uniform, and our marriages/relationships can be strained, but the similarities end there.
He plays a game to entertain people. We risk our lives to defend this country.
Tom Brady has NO CLUE what living through a military deployment entails. Otherwise, he never would have said, "I almost look at a football season like I’m going away on deployment for the military." As a military mom, I'm offended beyond words.
Most people let Brady know that he did not understand what people go through when they are faced with a real armed conflict.
Not everyone was mad about Tom Brady's comment
Despite the negative reactions from many fans and veterans, some people actually supported Brady. A US Marine thought Brady's comments were 'hilarious'.
“It did not bother me one bit that Tom Brady compared his NFL season to a military deployment,” an active duty Marine told The New York Post. “[I] thought it was hilarious.”
He explained that while a few people might be overreacting, he can completely understand why people were mad in the first place. Overall, there were quite a few people who believed that he was just making a comment and did not mean to demean the work of the military.
Tom Brady apologized for his comments
A few days after the said comments, Tom Brady apologized to everyone who was offended:
“Earlier this week, I made a statement about playing football and the military, and it was a very poor choice of words. I just want to express that to any sentiments out there that people may have taken it in a certain way, so I apologize.”
#Bucs QB Tom Brady apologized for a poor choice of words in comparing his commitment to football to military deployment:
https://t.co/JjpUbOREes
The apology closed the matter there and then. It was understood that while his choice of words may have angered some people, there was no malice on the part of the former quarterback.