Tom Brady wonders why people care about his friendship with Donald Trump

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 22: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 to win the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 22, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Credit: Maddie Meyer

Credit: Maddie Meyer

FOXBORO, MA - JANUARY 22: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-17 to win the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 22, 2017 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady doesn't understand why anyone cares about his longstanding friendship with President Donald Trump.

"Why does everybody make such a big deal? I don't understand it," he said Monday in an interview with WEEI.

Trump told a crowd the night before Friday's inauguration that Brady called to congratulate him, The Associated Press reported. Among those gathered to watch his speech was Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

"I have called him, yes, in the past. Sometimes he calls me. Sometimes I call," Brady told WEEI. "But again, that's been someone I've known. I always try to keep it in context, because for 16 years you know someone before maybe he was in the position that he was in. He's been very supportive of me for a long time. It's just a friendship. I have a lot of friends. I call a lot of people."

He said his friendship with the 45th president doesn't mean that they see eye to eye on everything.

"I don't want to get into it, but if you know someone, it doesn't mean you agree with everything they say or they do. You have a lot of friends in your life," Brady said. "I think there are things that are based in your own dealings with someone that is a personal dealing, not a public dealing, because you have personal experiences."

Brady and the Patriots will face off Feb. 5 with the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI.