Quarterback Tom Brady said he wasn’t cheering or celebrating when Jimmy Garoppolo was traded by the New England Patriots to the 49ers two months ago.
In retrospect, 49ers fans have probably done enough of that for everyone.
A recent ESPN The Magazine story on the Patriots suggested that Brady was in a good mood, even “liberated” after coach Bill Belichick — reportedly under orders from owner Robert Kraft — dealt Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second round pick in this year’s NFL Draft.
The exact phrasing in the story was “some players and staffers noticed that Brady seemed especially excited, hollering and cajoling.”
Tuesday morning, Brady, on the “Kirk and Callahan Show” on Boston radio station WEEI, wished to dispel that notion.
“I think that’s just such a poor characterization of anything. In 18 years, I’ve never celebrated when someone has been traded, been cut. I would say that’s disappointing to hear that someone would express that, or a writer would express that, because it’s so far from what my beliefs are about my teammates,” Brady said.
“I think I’m very empathetic towards other people’s experiences. I know those situations aren’t easy. I’ve never been traded or released, but I can imagine how that might feel. I would never, ever feel that way about when Jimmy got traded, when Jacoby (Brissett) got traded. I’ve kept in touch with all those guys.
“When Matt Cassel was gone. All these guys I’ve worked with, I felt like I had such a great relationship with all the quarterbacks I’ve worked with. I kept in touch with basically everybody. So to characterize that as a certain way is just completely, completely wrong.”
Garoppolo went 5-0 as a starter for the 49ers to end the regular season and there is anticipation that he will sign a long-term contract with San Francisco this offseason.
Brady and the Patriots are getting ready to host the Tennessee Titans on Saturday in the second round of the AFC playoffs.
“Well, I think there’s a lot of things that are said,” Brady said when asked if he read the entire ESPN article. “I think you can go about your life, certainly here with this team, and try and do what I have always done for a long time and that’s be a good teammate, work as hard as I can to help the team win, and then somebody can write something to contradict that and it’s up to everybody to believe what they want to believe.
“I don’t put too much thought into it, really. I think I have a great relationship with my teammates, and if others don’t feel like they have a great relationship with me, that is one thing, but I try and do what I have always done and be the best teammate I can be. I don’t think that has ever really changed in my mind.”
