Tom Brady The Leader (And Ultimate Teammate)
October 22nd, 2021
Caring = leading.
As many of Joe’s readers know, periodically Joe and the Sage of Tampa Bay sports, Ira Kaufman, cross swords on the Ira Kaufman Podcast over “leaders.”
Ira thinks it is huge but cannot define it. As in how many wins does a leader bring? Joe’s not in any way about mysticism and wants tangible proof, not fancy sounding sorcery.
Joe thinks “leader” talk is mostly nonsense spewed by lazy sports radio show hosts who can’t think of any compelling topics to discuss. Joe is about results. Do your job or get the hell off the field. That’s all there is to it.
Well Joe may have stumbled upon what a leader in the NFL is. And would it surprise anyone it is Tom Brady?
Earlier this week Joe heard Brady on his SiriusXM radio show with Jim Gray explain how a few of his Bucs teammates are quite a bit younger than he is. It reminded Joe of the story that former Belicheats coffee fetcher Michael Lombardi told of Brady on his podcast “GM Shuffle” during training camp.
Lombardi noted Brady worked with a Belicheats consultant to help him learn different ways to better bond with teammates that are 20 or so years younger.
Let’s face it, for some guys on the Bucs (Tristan Wirfs, Ronald Jones, Antoine Winfield) Brady could be their father. Fathers and their children have wildly different goals, standards, ideals, perspectives,you name it.
So Thursday, Joe asked Brady what he learned from this consultant about relating to people 20 years younger than he is and bonding with them as teammates.
This question really seemed to throw Brady a curveball.
But in the process, Joe maybe stumbled upon what a leader is in football.
“It’s a great question,” Brady said as he pondered an answer. “A great question – a lot of the guys are kind of closer to my son’s age than my age. It actually probably helps me with my sons, just communicating with them because it’s a lot of young players.
“But I think the key is genuinely just caring and wanting to see those guys kind of fulfill their potential. I think that’s part of being a veteran player, seeing other guys [succeed.] I’ve been very fortunate over the years to have people come into my life that brought the best out of me. That’s all I’m trying to do for a lot of these guys, too, is just put them in a position in the best way that I know how to see them succeed.”
The clouds began to part for Joe: If Brady is doing his best to ensure young teammates reach their potential — or maybe surpass what they thought their limits are — it helps the team win.
And as a benefactor, that player will prove his NFL worth and monies and riches will be on the way, so long as he can stay healthy.
Joe is guessing these guys understand what Brady is trying to accomplish.
“There’s no other way to care than just to care about people and care about what we’re doing,”Brady said. “It’s certainly a priority, trying to be the best I can be for this team, and I think doing my job well is really important.
“Then having the experience to do other things and share with others – the receivers, the running backs, the tight ends, the O-Line – some things here and there that can really help them so that maybe they can take it and have a very successful career themselves.”
This also reminds Joe of the story Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians said of Brady helping out Chris Godwin in training camp last year.
Brady took Godwin aside and told him that if he continues to pump his arms faster and not stop pumping while running a route, that not only will he run the route quicker, it will throw off defenders.
Slowing down the arm-pumping is a tell that he is about to cut or pull up.
Arians said it’s one thing for him to tell his players that. Sometimes it sinks it, sometimes it doesn’t. But if Brady says it, it gets done.
So by accident, Brady’s really telling answer may have solved Joe’s unanswered riddle.
What’s a leader?
It’s Mr. Seven Rings.
October 22nd, 2021 at 5:26 am
Excellent read Joe. Nailed it.
October 22nd, 2021 at 5:47 am
So if the opposite is also true.
We are all living in a leaderless country.
Lets Go Brandon!
MAGA lives on.
October 22nd, 2021 at 6:04 am
Money cannot buy that…. We have the good fortune of having a living legend lead the team…
October 22nd, 2021 at 6:20 am
“Some times it sinks in, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Kind of like maturity, right Lets Roll?!
This is a far different team from two years ago. There are now leaders in every meeting room. What a time to be a Bucs fan!
October 22nd, 2021 at 6:23 am
Let me make this clear. I Was not a fan of brady at all before he came to bucs. Got sick and tired of all his winning why the bucs sucked so bad. I felt for brady probably like Jensen. The respect was obviously there cause lets face it, the patriots were “it”. The team any franchise wishes they could be .
But know that he is on the bucs. Wow. This guy is truly the best at everything he does in football. We are watching greatness. And he is not some fake as phony who only cares about himself and acts differently when the cameras are on.
If he wins another title …its time to put up a brady statute
I hope he plays until he is 50. Glad we get to experience these buc glory years. Meanwhile ndog and the others are experiencing some dudes glory hole.
I got off monday so thinking that the 6 pack for sundays game is turning into a 12 pack and a tiny shooter of crown
October 22nd, 2021 at 6:24 am
A great leader always leads by example. Brady does his job well so others will follow.
Thanks for leaving the monikers out of this article…..made it a much better read for me.
October 22nd, 2021 at 6:53 am
@Bucsfanman
You nailed it. Thats why I still have hope people like you will wake up.
Otherwise, we would have already rolled on these tyrants trying. We need to show people how bad things are so that the battle lines are clear.
Your free to pick your side.
October 22nd, 2021 at 7:23 am
Yes you finally found it. There’s been players doing this since the game started. Leaders. Defined. Go Bucs
October 22nd, 2021 at 7:36 am
Roll- I’m not going to hijack this post off subject but, you’re kidding yourself if you think this phenomenon is new.
Go Bucs!
October 22nd, 2021 at 7:49 am
Fanman, kudos to you for keeping this on topic. Posters should keep that crap to cup of joe which gets hijacked every other day and then shut down.
As for the OP, good to hear but not a surprise. Just confirms everything we’ve heard since he’s been here. And frankly for those listening, since before he came here.
October 22nd, 2021 at 7:52 am
A leader is one who can influence, inspire, help others become their very best, achieves goals, and be their very best.
TB is one of those very few elite leaders who has done it by maximizing his skills and achieving his goals along the way.
If you ever want to see what a true leader can do just watch what TB has done for the BUCS.
October 22nd, 2021 at 7:54 am
Once again, you nailed it. No one is joking around here, this is just a different kind of war. America beat these fools once and we will beat them again, again.
This post is about leadership being a REAL Thing. We have an EXCELLENT Example on the Football field here in Tampa. I was just making the connections for those who need it.
October 22nd, 2021 at 8:00 am
Just seeing how Brady sent text every morning to his teammates leading up to the SuperBowl encouraging them ALL to win and going after Gronk & AB and even restructuring his contract to keep key players shows me all I need to know that he’s a leader a mentor and very unselfish player, person and winner. He wants it for ALL and he wants ALL his teammates to succeed.
October 22nd, 2021 at 8:01 am
I saw an article on Fox’ website that said Brady will be playing a former Mi. QB for the 1st time in his 22 yr career. My FIRST thought was that Brady will demolish the Bears because i’m sure there is a lot of disdain for OSU. After all Mi hasn’t beaten OSU since they first got off the Mayflower. But I reminded myself who we are talking about. If the Bears play a horrible game on defense, yes we will demolish them. But Tompa will take what they give him. I’m sure he will throw some extra punches. he’s only human hahaha I used to live a few miles from Ann Arbor. My son was born there 47 yrs ago. So, let’s go Bucs AND WOLVERINES!!
October 22nd, 2021 at 10:42 am
This is an excellent article. Joe, I tend to agree with you when it comes to leader talk. It’s about wins. I’ve never heard of a great leader that was a career loser. This article really points out the lengths Tom Brady will go to win. Hiring a consultant to learn how to connect with younger teammates is a fantastic outside-of-the-box kind of thinking. There are a lot of head coaches and GMs out there that could take a lesson or two on that.
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:05 am
Belichick and his dopey kid will never see another Lombardi trophy . God I miss the GOAT.
October 22nd, 2021 at 12:05 pm
Gee, I’m kinda hurt. I told you what a leader was many times in this here site. And you trust Brady more than me? After all we’ve been through together? I’m hurt. Hurt I say! 😁
October 22nd, 2021 at 1:05 pm
I truly don’t understand how anyone can hate this guy. Sure, you don’t want your team to have to face him. But he embodies all the qualities we are supposed to admire in athletes, and humans in general, and he seems like the most perfect teammate and leader you could ever ask for. And still, people crap all over him. Over what? a few slightly under inflated footballs? Because he doesn’t take bone crushing hits ten times a game? Because the NFL “coddles” him? Get the f*ck out of here.
October 22nd, 2021 at 2:20 pm
He’s the perfect leader and being from Michigan watching him every year I can only put 1 player that fits this perfect description of a perfect leader and that Nick Lidstrom. Known as the perfect human. They both have it all and are about teammates and your team succeeding as much ad you are.
October 22nd, 2021 at 4:04 pm
I was one that truly hated this man and what he did in New England for awhile. But after watching and hearing speak of his family and of his fans I’m truly enamored with him. I hope he plays in Tampa till the wheels fall off. Go Tampa!
October 22nd, 2021 at 11:38 pm
I love him😉 man crush, LOL