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During his media scrum, he was asked specifically if he had a concussion in 2016, as his wife had claimed. He didn’t confirm or deny the allegation, and instead talked around the question.
Brady was never diagnosed with a concussion last season, or at any point in his 17 seasons as a professional quarterback. And while he doesn’t want to confirm whether he had a concussion, likely because an admission would get the Patriots in trouble, he does acknowledge the dangers of the sport.
“You’re not blind to it as a player,” Brady said. “It’s a contact sport and I think we all understand that. And there’s a lot of great benefits that football brings you. You certainly can be put in harm’s way.”
Deflecting the question was an obvious route for Brady to take due to the fallout that would occur if he told the truth. But his non-denial is just as bad, and he made it worse by saying it’s nobody’s business. Legally, it’s the NFL’s business because injuries must be reported.
His concussions are also the interest of other players looking to play in the NFL. Having someone with the prominence of Brady would have a huge impact in the way concussions are viewed in football. A season two viewing of Netflix’s “Last Chance U” proves there’s a lot of progress to be made regarding concussions in this sport.
Brady calling his concussions a personal issue is a weak response to a serious topic. The league won’t make progress on this issue until players acknowledge the severity of brain injuries.
