Tom Brady On Losing Josh Gordon: 'Wasn't Much Reaction'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Tom Brady wishes the best for Josh Gordon, but in typical Patriots fashion, the quarterback is moving on.
Brady stepped to the podium Friday afternoon and was asked what his reaction was to hearing the news on Thursday that Gordon would be indefinitely suspended after once again violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy.
"Umm, there wasn't much reaction," Brady said. "We all wish him the best. I think that's kind of how we all feel. We want him to do what's right for him."
Brady was later pressed for more on his reaction to the news, but the 41-year-old quarterback reiterated his response.
"I certainly appreciate all his efforts and hard work," Brady said. "I didn't have much reaction, just focusing on what I need to do. It's kind of how it's been all year. ... I showed up and I heard like everyone else."
Brady and Gordon developed quite a connection this year, with Gordon catching 40 passes for a team-leading 720 yards, with three touchdowns. They also worked together off the field, as the two were locker neighbors inside the Patriots' locker room. Brady was asked if he's reached out to Gordon since Thursday's news, but Brady opted not to answer.
"Those are all very personal things," Brady said, "so I'll keep those to myself."
Keeping his emotions and feelings out of the matter, Brady indicated that the loss of a player at this point in the season just has to be taken for what it is, and the team has to move on quickly.
"The reality is that it could happen on like the first play of the game, too. I mean, someone can sprain an ankle, and the next thing you know, guys are adjusting," Brady said. "That's just part of, I think, the nature of playing a long time. You realize that things happen very quickly and they change very quickly. You know, we lost Jeremy Hill in the first game of the year. You think you got all this running back depth, next thing you know, guys get hurt, it's two weeks in and you're like, 'Holy cow, what happened?' That's just part of playing and being mentally tough. Everything changes quickly, and part of it is you deal with things over the course of a long season, 16 weeks. You are what you are after four games, after eight games, after 12 games, and we're here in the last quarter of the season, and we've got two very important games coming up for our whole season.
"And we've worked hard to get to this point," Brady continued. "Everyone's put in a lot of effort, everyone's a little bit tired, it's been a lot of football, but you gotta tough it up. It's like the end of a marathon. You're happy that you're in the position you're in; we've got a great opportunity ahead of us. So just trying to emphasize that. You can't ever take these things for granted, and I always say it's so hard to win in the NFL. And we've got a great opportunity ahead of us, so we need to take advantage of it."
