It’s not hard to find an image of Tom Brady, whether it’s in his role as the quarterback of the Patriots or on one of his many advertising opportunities.
But he said Monday he’s not interested in using his platform as an agent of social change.
During an interview with WEEI, Brady did his best to avoid saying much of anything about Ray Rice, Greg Hardy, Adrian Peterson, or anything else.
“I try to stay in my lane. All of those things, none of it’s really my business or my control,” Brady said, via Kevin McNamara of the Providence Journal. “I’ve just been focusing on the games and what I can do better. The things that are taking place on other teams or league-wide decisions, those are a different pay grade than me.”
Asked if he could be a spokesman for any of the issues for the players, Brady said that wasn’t his role.
“I certainly have a lot of personal feelings toward all those things, but it’s just, there’s nothing I can do,” he said. “If I make a comment about it, there’s nothing I can do to make a difference. The owners of the league, the commissioner of the league, the teams themselves, the players that are involved, they’re the ones that are speaking on it. It’s not really my responsibility to speak out about those things, because there are a lot of other people doing the talking.
“I really don’t want to be involved in any of those things. I try to live and make the best decisions possible on and off the field and represent our organization and represent my family as best I can. Those things are happening. I just don’t want my name mentioned in any of those situations that are happening.”
While Brady’s certainly within his rights to mind his own business, the idea that there’s nothing he can do is well short of the truth.
Athletes have used their platforms for causes in the past, with tremendous results. And if the league was serious about changing its image as it relates toward domestic violence or other issues, they’d be wise to ask players such as Brady to help spread the word that putting your hands on women and children was not OK.
It’s one thing for a player such as Terrance Knighton to speak out, but when the players with the loudest voices stay silent, it’s easy for the message to be lost.