Tom Brady apologizes for comparing playing in the NFL to a military deployment: 'A very poor choice of words'

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady apologized after receiving some backlash for comparing playing in the NFL to deploying in the military.

Brady addressed the issue at the beginning of his weekly media briefing on Thursday.

"Before we start, can I say one thing? Earlier this week I made a statement about playing football and the military and it was a very poor choice of words," said Brady to reporters.

"And I just want to express that to any sentiments out there that people may have taken it in a certain way. I apologize," he added.

He was asked to explain his comments by a reporter, but he refused.

"To be honest, I don’t really want to expand on it too much," Brady responded. "I have a tremendous amount of gratitude to everyone who served. In the end, we play a game, and the military is defending our country. It’s two different things and I shouldn’t have made the comparison."

The superstar quarterback made the comments about the military on the "Let's Go!" podcast released on Monday.

"I almost look at like a football season like you’re going away on deployment in the military," Brady said on the podcast. "And it’s like, ‘Man, here I go again.’ And there’s only one way to do it."

Some veterans and their families were offended by the comments and took to social media to express their displeasure.

"Hey @TomBrady Did you ever get shot at during practice? Blown up? Have your teammates get wounded or killed?" tweeted U.S. Army veteran Richard Ojeda. "Did you ever finish a practice and wonder how you were able to make it through alive??? YOU PLAY A GAME. Worst case scenario is you lose a game. Not a life."

"Tom Brady's reference to his career as being deployed is a prime example of some detached brat who has no freakin' idea what military and their families go through during war. He owes an apology to say the least," tweeted a woman who identified as a combat veteran spouse.

Brady's third season with the Buccaneers is off to a slow start with three victories and three losses. He's also been plagued by reports of marital problems with his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen.

Here's the video of Brady's apology:

'I apologize,' Tom Brady takes culpability for analogy made between football and militarywww.youtube.com