Speaking on Friday night, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said he was “confident” that a new labor deal between the owners and players can get done sooner rather than later. Talking with reporters at halftime of his charity football game at Harvard Stadium for Best Buddies, Brady said he’s not sure when the lockout would end, but he certainly sounded encouraged by the recent developments.

“There has been a lot of positive news from both sides. Everyone is working hard for a great outcome. I’m confident that a lot of reasonable people will come to a very reasonable agreement,” he said. “Everyone is just dealing with it — the players are dealing with it as best we know how and the owners are. Like I said, hopefully there is a great outcome. I’m relatively confident that there will be.”

Brady was also asked about having his name on the lawsuit the players are bringing against the league, and serving as a leader for the players in that regard.

“The players, we all stick together. We realize how important each one of us are to each other,” he said. ”A lot of guys really care about the game. The guys that have been around for a while understand what it takes for us to grow the league, to be a part of the business of the NFL, to be great representatives for the NFL, and to leave the NFL in better shape than when we came into it. I think that’s the responsibility of all players — young or old. A lot of guys really do a great job of that.

“So, like I said, I’ve seen a lot of things. I’m not as young as I used to be, but I also feel like the veteran players are really the ones that need to support what’s going on right now. Everyone does a great job of that.”