Tom Brady might’ve regretted his roast a little, but Drew Bledsoe found it to be quite the cathartic experience. Bledsoe, who was unceremoniously replaced by Brady in 2001, admitted that being able to poke fun at the duo was a healing process for him.
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By engaging in some good-natured ribbing, the former quarterback acknowledged that the roast allowed him to move past any lingering resentment toward Brady and Belichick:
“If you can get to a point where you can laugh about something, then that’s a very healing thing. I got to take some digs at Tommy and some digs at Belichick, and I think there was some healing that happened during that because we got to laugh at each other a little bit.”
A game against the Jets in 2001 became a turning point for the franchise. A violent hit by a Jets linebacker saw Bledsoe struggling to get up, only to be rushed to the hospital. The then Patriots starting QB had internal bleeding that could’ve killed him. He was then replaced by Brady.
The GOAT’s success following his injury ultimately led to him being benched permanently in favor of Brady as the starter, marking a significant turning point in both their careers. This decision was of course taken by HC Bill Belichick, leading to rumors that Bledsoe harbored resentment toward both Belichick and Brady.
However, time heals all, and as Bledsoe said, so does humor. The former quarterback not only found the roast to be a cathartic experience but also thought it helped to take some of the awkwardness away from Brady’s Patriots HoF ceremony.
Bledsoe says the roast was “culturally important”
In reflecting on the event, he noted that the lighthearted nature of the roast allowed for a more relaxed atmosphere during the induction ceremony.
Highlighting the cultural importance of the roast, Bledsoe noted that humor worked as a healing mechanism, allowing people to connect and move past their challenges.
The former quarterbacks were able to put their supposed animosity to rest, once and for all, and in front of a large audience, making it a turning point in their relationship. After a night full of jokes and jabs, Bledsoe had sincerely expressed his love and admiration for Brady and buried the hatchet once and for all.
