MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is defending New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Tom Brady
Tom Brady speaks to media on January 28, 2015 (Elsa, Getty Images Sports)
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The Republican governor on Thursday dismissed a report that concluded Brady was "at least generally aware" of plans to under-inflate footballs during a playoff game.

Christie says Brady is one of the great athletes of our time and media outlets and others like taking shots at Brady's charmed life.

Christie made the comments while visiting New Hampshire for a series of events and meet-and-greets. He's been struggling to press forward with a likely presidential bid following indictments of people close to him in a plot to tie up traffic on the George Washington Bridge.

He's scheduled to hold a town hall at a bar in the early-voting state on Friday. He'll be back next week for an economic policy speech.

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