Tom Brady is unquestionably the greatest QB and perhaps the greatest NFL player who ever lived. Brady’s legendary competitiveness drove his professional career from a sixth-round afterthought to a future Hall of Famer.
Brady recently gave a speech during a conference, which stirred up the legendary intensity he brought every Sunday as a player. Brady showed his mindset as a player and how things have changed over the years.
What Did Tom Brady Say at the Conference?
Brady stated clearly what drove him as a player and how he engineered his mindset on the NFL battlefield.
LEGENDARY: Tom Brady’s level of COMPETITIVE DRIVE is something that we will never see again. Just electric, he wanted to and NEEDED to WIN.
“I didn’t have any friends on the other teams”
“My friends are the guys that were in the battle with me”
“For me anger was good. And we… pic.twitter.com/xScFuNyX9D
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 22, 2023
“I didn’t have any friends on the other teams. My friends are the guys that were in the battle with me. For me, anger was good. And we were because it was motivating. The more I could create an enemy, the more I wanted to go out and KILL THOSE GUYS. They DISRESPECT ME AT ALL, LET’S GO KICK SOME A**.”
Brady’s Comp to Michael Jordan
Many analysts have compared Brady’s heightened competitiveness to another GOAT in the sports universe, basketball legend Michael Jordan. Both athletes performed at the highest level and played their best in the brightest moments.
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Jordan also carried a continent-sized chip on his shoulder throughout his basketball career. Jordan famously didn’t make his high school basketball team during his freshman season, only to develop into one of the top prep stars in the game. Jordan’s drive was noticeable early on during his tenure at North Carolina and increased during his pro career.
“I’m Driven by Enemies” – Tom Brady opens up to @patrickbetdavid about what made him obsessed with the pursuit of a 7th Superbowl ring.
Was it Bill Belichick or Michael Jordan? pic.twitter.com/1ngZiOeQhz
— Valuetainment Media (@ValuetainmentTV) September 20, 2023
Brady’s intensity came differently. Not many knew about Brady during his Michigan career. Sure, college football fans knew of Brady, but his collegiate career ended unceremoniously, and no one thought highly of the Wolverines signal-caller entering the NFL Draft.
Brady fell until the sixth round of the NFL Draft, where the Patriots selected the signal-caller.
The drop throughout the NFL Draft became one of the primary motivators for the future Hall of Famer, and the slight Brady felt from all 31 NFL teams left a burning desire to prove them wrong, which he did. Brady famously ran out of the Patriots tunnel at Foxboro, yelling “Let’s Go” as his pregame ritual. Brady took this to be his battle cry.
Brady pointed to the NFL game today, and more importantly, to today’s players, as too friendly and drew the line in the sand between himself, his teammates, and the opposition. When people say, “They don’t make ’em like they used to,” they’re talking about Brady.