Tom Brady, no doubt, evolved as a leader throughout his career. He started as a young, inexperienced quarterback who sought to set a good example through his hard work and work ethic. Over time, he evolved into a communicative, adaptive, emotionally controlled leader who mastered the art of motivating others to “play their role.”
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Ever since his retirement, Brady has taken a liking to educating others about his beliefs on sports and life. Recently, he posted to his Instagram story about leadership.
The post featured a set of three paragraphs from an unknown source that discussed how leaders take the heat when things go wrong and lift others when things go right.
“True leadership is measured in how you show up when it matters most. Great leaders take the heat when things go wrong. They don’t hide behind excuses or point fingers. They own the mistakes, they shoulder the responsibility, and they take action to fix what needs fixing. That is how trust is built and respect is earned,” the first paragraph said.
While the second read, “When things go right, great leaders step back. They give credit where it’s due and make sure their people shine. They understand that praise shared multiplies motivation, loyalty, and commitment. Leadership isn’t about ego, it’s about impact. It’s about making others stronger and letting them own their victories.”
At the bottom of the screenshot, Brady rewrote his favorite sentence from the excerpt.
“Stand in front in the storms and behind in the sunshine,” Brady noted, along with some “100” emojis.
Brady insta story pic.twitter.com/N0elptizFj
— Semper (@Semper152892) January 10, 2026
Clearly, that highlighted quote resonated and stuck with Brady. He always tried to step up to the podium and accept the brunt of the blame whenever the New England Patriots or Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost. Yet, when they won, he would step back out of the limelight and praise his teammates for rising to the occasion.
Think about it. Who got the most credit when the Bucs won in 2021? It was their defense for stepping up and making life difficult for Patrick Mahomes.
This trend continues with almost all of Brady’s Super Bowl wins. In 2019, it was Julian Edelman and Sony Michel who got the most credit. In the 2017 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, James White received a ton of praise for his otherworldly performance. And so on.
It goes to show that Brady never wanted to be at the head of the parade after big wins. He wanted to uplift others to instill confidence and motivation within them. In turn, this helped him win a record seven Super Bowls and multiple accolades.
All told, Brady was the GOAT for a reason. It wasn’t just about his performance on the field, but his leadership off of it was also invaluable. Combined with Bill Belichick’s demanding and brash coaching style, the two created a uniquely dominant dynasty that we may never see again.
