Life,” Brady said, “is about always changing and adapting to different things. Today, the world wants to blame, and shame, and guilt, and fear everything all the time. We would never teach our kids that, you know? We would never say, ‘This is how you’re gonna get through life the best—you’re gonna blame everyone when things don’t go right.’ Or, ‘I always get it my way but you should never get it your way.’ It’s not how to live a joyful life.”
Yesterday Tom Brady sat down with Peter King of Football Morning in America. He imparted his philosophy of life. Tom knows a thing or two about life. He was the 199th player taken in the 2000 NFL draft. Brady’s NFL debut was not heralded. In fact, he only got onto the field because starting QB, Drew Bledsoe, got injured. After getting onto the field as a substitute. Brady started the next 15 games and led the 2001 Patriots team to its first Super Bowl victory. It would be the first of six Lombardi Trophies he would bring to New England. His days with New England were filled with tension in relation to his head coach. Bill Belichick. Belichick, who had never seen Brady play Had drafted Brady only on the persistence of his then QB coach, Dick Rehbein.
By the time he got to the Patriots Brady had already learned the value of hard work. His high school coach had managed to sell Michigan on him, but just barely. He was slotted to be the 3rd string QB behind two highly recruited blue-chippers. But by his junior year, he had shown he was the guy Michigan needed on the field if they wanted to win. Though Brady had set passing records his junior year at Michigan. He had to fight for the starting job as a senior. Michigan head coach, Lloyd Carr, platooned him with blue-chipper Drew Henson. Often Brady was brought in after Michigan was losing. But once in the game, Brady would lead the team to victory. Brady capped off his career at Michigan by winning the Orange Bowl over Alabama.
When he got to New England in the year 2000 he was the 3rd string QB again. He sat behind Drew Bledsoe for the year. Brady impressed Belichick so much in that 2000 season. That Belichick gave Drew Bledsoe the largest contract in the NFL in March of 2001. In other words. Belichick was not impressed with Brady whatsoever. Bledsoe was his guy. That is until Bledsoe got injured in the 2nd game of the 2001 season. Bledsoe’s backup, Damon Huard, was sick. The backup to the backup, Tom Brady, came into the game and the rest is history. Belichick rode his lucky draft pick for 20 years and six super bowls. He never awarded Brady with a large contract like he did Bledsoe. At best Belichick seemed to tolerate Brady. Then 2020 in Belichick showed Brady the back door by lowballing him like an undrafted rookie. It was a contract Belichick knew Brady could not accept. Belichick accomplished what he had tried to do ten years earlier. Get rid of Tom Brady.
Brady went to Tampa Bay and won the Super Bowl his 1st year there. With no OTA’s or preseason games. At age 44, he is looking to go to the Super Bowl yet again. He owns so many NFL records it borders on a monopoly. He has accepted every challenge. He has blamed no one for anything. He has pushed past every obstacle. He has changed and adapted.
It has been a joy for all of us to watch.