​Like It or Not, Pats Peppered with Trump References on Super Bowl Opening Night

It was inevitable that members of the New England Patriots would face questions about their relationship with Donald Trump on Super Bowl Opening Night. Aside from the team's falling out with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell over Deflategate, the approval that Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft have shown for the U.S. President might be the most-talked-about storyline relating to the Pats this season.

Sure enough, media members shot their shots and asked the New England head coach and quarterback during availability, to little avail. Belichick might have played along with a woman telling him about the lucky Belichick underwear she wears on game days, but when it came time to talk Trump, he brushed the matter off. "Right now," Belichick said, "I'm focused on Atlanta."

Brady was no more forthcoming on the subject. When asked how he felt about what's transpired since Trump was sworn in, Brady pleaded ignorance, insisting he's just an upbeat football guy concerned with winning and the trappings of success.

Tom Brady: What's going on in the world? I haven't paid much attention. I'm just a positive person.
— Jim Chairusmi (@jimchair) January 31, 2017

It's in keeping with Brady's approach to the subject of Trump. While in 2015 Brady told reporters that a Trump presidency "would be great," and a MAGA hat was spotted in his locker during the campaign, the quarterback has been unwilling to discuss his relationship with the President and his policies since Election Night beyond saying that he was happy Trump "experience[d] success." Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly mentioned having Brady's support in his speeches.

Trump has clearly been on the minds of the team owners, too. While Kraft is a longtime friend of Trump's and visited Trump Tower after the election, Falcons owner Arthur Blank has been more critical of the President, and he managed to get in a sly reference to the Donald during an interview with NFL Network. The TV panel asked the two owners for the most famous contact in their cell phone. While Kraft was mulling his response, Blank shouted out "Donald Trump." Kraft eventually answered Elton John.

Martellus Bennett, the Patriots tight end who took part in national anthem protests early in the season, was willing to share his thoughts on the president. Early on Monday he posted two tweets critical of Trump's executive order on immigration, saying "America was built on inclusiveness not exclusiveness." Bennett also argued that it's possible to effect positive change in the world through love.

Bennett didn't back down from those statements on Opening Night. Asked what he plans to do if the Patriots win the Super Bowl and are invited to the White House, Bennett said he doubted he would go because "I don't support the guy that's in the house."

Bennett also made a statement that could be construed as critical of Brady.

"Other players are worried about their personal brands," he said. "I feel like a lot of players—in certain situations they have chances to really impact the community with things they say, and so many people are looking to them for encouragement and examples and for a chance to promote change. But for a lot of guys it comes down to the dollars. What this brand or this company may say, or how I'm going to look if I speak out."

The Patriots weren't the only ones who dodged questions related to the President. Falcons receiver Mohamed Sanu, the only Muslim player on either roster, was asked about Trump's recent executive order banning citizens of seven predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S. "Very tough situation," Sanu said. "It's really hard for me to talk about that right now. I'm not here to talk about my religious beliefs. I'm here to focus on football." He later told Darin Gantt that he was prepared not to discuss the subject, though expressed to reporters that he respected them for doing their job by asking.