Tom Brady reveals how he publicly discusses opponents

Next time you hear Tom Brady talking up an opponent, it’s pretty clear you’re going to want to take it with a grain of salt.

Brady’s appearance on HBO’s “The Shop: Uninterrupted” aired Saturday, and Brady was very candid about a number of topics. One of them was how much he censors himself, particularly when speaking publicly. He estimated that 90 percent of what he says is contrary to what he thinks, and used the example of praising upcoming opponents that he plans to target.

“From a strategic standpoint, I never want to give away what we’re doing,” Brady said. “I usually say the opposite. You know, they got a s—-y corner, I’ll be like, ‘That guy’s unbelievable. I don’t even know how they complete balls over there.’ In my mind I’m like, ‘I’m going at that motherf—er all day.’”

That’s probably what you’d expect from Brady, but it’s still funny to hear him say it. Brady said his public approach is about maintaining control, adding that he feels too much candor gives others “power” over him.

There’s nothing shocking about Brady thinking about gaining a mental edge through the things he says publicly. That said, the next time you catch him effusively praising someone in public, you might want to think twice about whether he really means it or not.