AP
Better late than never. Or perhaps, in this case, better never than late.
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady did not participate in Sunday’s orchestrated tweet storm by NFL players who pressured the league to do what was necessary to allow the game to run safely. On Wednesday night, after several advances, but as negotiations on other issues (including financial ones) continue, Brady has spoken out.
“There are more questions than answers, but we must have faith in our @NFLPA leaders, both players and staff, so that the game and the business of soccer are in the right place,” Brady said on Twitter. “Let’s stick together and demand the necessary responses from @NFL as partners. We are all in this together.”
Despite Brady’s current words, his behavior in recent weeks has undermined the NFLPA leadership. He repeatedly challenged a recommendation to refrain from group practice before training camp, making it easy for the NFL to take a hard line on the assumption that if it comes to pushing, players will accept the safety rules that the NFL offers because the players wants to play soccer and is not worried about the virus.
At a minimum, then, the NFLPA leadership cannot back down on Brady’s belated show of solidarity, given his recent efforts to cut against union messages to his players.
