In 2020 Tom Brady was selected in the 6th round with the 199th pick by the New England Patriots. Six other quarterbacks were selected ahead of Brady in that draft. No one expected much of him, let alone to become the greatest football player to ever play the game. Why? He was and still is one of the slowest quarterbacks in the NFL. His arm strength was solid, but he has never had the strongest arm out there. However, in his first meeting with Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, Brady looked Kraft in the eyes and said, “I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.” That was an understatement. Brady brought the Patriots six Super Bowls from 2001-2019, and when the Patriots let him go, Brady added a 7th this year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
So, what has made Brady the greatest football player of all time?
Drive, Work Ethic & Focus: Brady has had an insatiable drive to become the best and to prove himself. This drive has created a work ethic second to none. He literally is the first one to practice and the last to leave. He works with new receivers during the off-season to develop timing. And, over time, Brady has stayed laser-focused. He works out on his own to continually build speed, strength and flexibility. He takes care of his body by eating healthy and getting ample sleep. He was never the party guy who drank or did drugs. In other words, for the last 20+ years, he has maintained his commitment to being the best and never let anything get in his way.
Competitive Spirit & Intelligence: Brady has that same quality that Michael Jordan had. He can’t stand to lose. When people slight him (like when he was drafted in the 6th round or when the Patriots didn’t resign him), he takes it personally. Brady does everything to prove them wrong. His has an insatiable desire to win the next play, the next game and the next championship. Brady is also intelligent. He can out-think the opponent to find the winning solution. And when you combine this competitive spirit with his intelligence, you get results.
Leadership & Culture: Let’s just look at this year with the Buccaneers. The year before Brady arrived (2019-2020), they had a losing record. They had talent, but they had a losing culture. When Brady arrived, he brought leadership and a winning mentality. He taught them how to win – how to work, how to act after a loss and a win and how to believe in each other. When they lost two straight halfway thru the season, it was Tom who kept the faith. He gave pep talks to the team publicly and he privately sat down with individual players. As underdogs in the Super Bowl, Brady sent individual daily text messages to everyone on the team, telling them that they were going to win. Before the game, he gave a pre-game talk about legacy. Guys on the team said his leadership made all the difference, and they went out there and dominated 31-9.
At the age of 43, Brady won his 7th Super Bowl and his 5th Super Bowl MVP Award. While age will eventually catch up with him, I wouldn’t bet against the GOAT next year.
Your Turn: What can you learn from Tom Brady that you can implement into your athletic career?
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I think Brady is a very good example of what not only an amazing player looks like, but a good teammate too. He’s a winner and he seems to radiate that energy wherever he goes.
I can learn to motivate my teammates everyday and staying positive from Tom Brady and I can implement by telling them they are doing great.
I can learn from Tom Brady to be focused and be the first to be at practice and the last to leave.
I have learned from Tom Brady to have perseverance and be committed and you have to want it to make it far like Tom.
Communication is a big factor in a team. And take care of you body.
They had a loosing streak but when he came in and acted as a leader he led his team to work as a group and improve as a group.
I can learn from Tom Brady that if you want something, you need to make sure to put your all into it and to never give up.
I can learn from Tom Brady his work ethic and how he always works hard to get better every day.
I can learn from Tom Brady’s focus and his work ethic and implement them into my athletic career
I can apply Tom Brady’s leadership and drive into my life and in my sports career
working and talking to each of my teammates can help us learn each others strengths and improve on our weaknesses, the way Tom brady did it.
I learned that with good work ethic and dedication you can do just about anything you put your mind to along with having a competitive spirit.
It’s not how you start it’s how you finish and it doesn’t matter from where you start or selected from you can always be successful
His work ethic, whether you root for him or not you can’t deny he has the drive and the passion to win. I think that’s what we could all learn from him.
Based in Tom Brady’s leadership and work ethic he is well know which gets him pretty far by not only just being known an athlete.
i learned that hard work and dedication pays off and that being the most athletically gifted doesn’t always make you that best athlete on the team it’s about the work you put into your sport.
If you want to get better, you have to start working hard everyday. Your never going to get better at running if you only run once a week. But once you do start doing it more often, it all pays off.
That if you lose faith then you team will follow
I can learn from Brady by proving the people who dont believe in me wrong.
I learned that is not all about winning and not all about the lost, its about how much effort you put into it and how you act.
Self motivation is so important because with out it , it won’t get u anywhere! I think his dedication is really inspiring!
I would use the way Tom focus,drive and work ethic into myself and push myself further.
I can learn that if you lose faith yourself then your team will still follow
I learned that from his initiative and drive to become his best self I can contribute the same ethic during volleyball.
i learned that if you do more to train for your goal then you will get to it but if you give up then your goal won’t come as fast as you want it to come
he was always a supporting team mate and he always started exactly how he finished
He was always supportive and cheering on his teammates
he had an amazing work ethic and didn’t just rely on his athleticism
i can learn that he had tremendous effort and work ethic outside and inside his sport and how he treats orhers
his dedication to prove others through actions with his focus and work ethic that he was capableof doing it
Tom Brady had some great leadership skills that helped everyone around him
I think Brady is a great example of what a player and a leader should look like on and off the field. He radiates positivity. I can learn from him by how great a work ethic and mental drive he has.
I can learn from Tom Brady by studying his work ethic and the importance he puts on working on and off the field. I can encourage my teammates like Tom Brady encouraged his teammates.
I can be more committed to my role on the team and show better leadership for my teammates.
I can learn from Tom Brady that your only as good as your team, so he makes his teammates better by encouraging them. And encouraging my teammates is something that I can do on my team.
Tom Brady has shown throughout all of his years as a football player that no matter how many wins you have had, you must continue to work hard. He knows that he is only as good as his team and is able to express that positive attitude throughout his team.
i can learn to motivate my teammates better like he does
The example of Tom Brady’s leadership skills are shown at the best times for example a Super Bowl game. This also shows that you don’t have to be the greatest athlete, all you need is a good work ethic and good leadership skills(which can be developed over time). This can help in your athletic career by becoming a leader.
Tom Brady is my idol. He’s really awesome.
I respect tom brady’s 11 super bowl rings and he helped become a leader of the NEE ENGLAND PATRIOTS!!!!
We need to learn how to communicate as a team like they do.
need to be more vocal and become more of a team
I think Brady is a very good example of what not only an amazing player looks like, but a good teammate too. He’s a winner and he seems to radiate that energy wherever he goes