Tom Brady says decision to drop legal battle was ‘personal’
He added that's he's doing his best to stay positive.
Tom Brady answered questions Friday for the first time since he decided to drop his legal battle over Deflategate and accept his four-game suspension. He was asked about that decision after a practice where he finished 25 of 25 with two touchdown passes in a scrimmage.
“I think it’s just personal. I’ve tried to move on from it. I’ve tried to, like I said, focus on the positive and be here with my teammates, and getting better,” Brady said Friday. “We got a lot of competitive guys out here on the practice field, and I think that’s where the focus needs to be.”
Bill Belichick has said Jimmy Garoppolo will start in Brady’s four-game absence, and that Brady will be the Patriots starter in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.
“I try just to be as positive as I can be,” Brady said Friday. “I think that’s always been my motto. Over the course of my career, I faced different things, and tried to overcome it the best way I could, or the best way I knew how. I’ll try to do the same thing. I just want our team to go out there and play really well. We’ve got really good competition. We’re trying to push each other, so that we’re ready to go.”
During his suspension, Brady will be forced to cease communication with his teammates and coaches, per NFL rules. Retired Patriots running back Kevin Faulk speculated in July Brady might work out with former teammates to stay sharp.
“I’ll deal with that when it comes,” Brady said. “I could have a plan and then change that plan, so I don’t know. I’m really focusing on getting better every day.”
He added: “I just going to be rooting for us to win every game that we’re playing that I’m not in — and certainly when I’m in, I home we win every one, too.”
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