LOS ANGELES (AFP) – New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said Tuesday he had no problem with team-mates choosing to skip a likely White House visit following their Super Bowl victory.
So far six Patriots players – Martellus Bennett, LeGarrette Blount, Devin McCourty, Dont’a Hightower, Chris Long and Alan Branch – have confirmed they will not attend the traditional reception for NFL championship-winning teams.
Some of the players have said they will snub the visit as a protest to President Donald Trump, who has regularly described Brady as a friend.
Brady told Pro Football Talk Live on Tuesday that he had no issue with team-mates deciding not to attend the White House.
‘‘Everybody has their own choice,’’ said Brady, who missed the Patriots’ White House visit in 2015 hosted by President Barack Obama.
‘‘There’s certain years, like a couple years ago, I wanted to go and didn’t get the opportunity based on the schedule,’’ Brady said.
