“Tom Brady Became a Ghost”: Already Burdened By $1 Million Fine, Patriots Dealt With NFL GOAT’s Isolation

Tom Brady dealt with tough times in 2016 when the Deflategate scandal suspended him for 4 games. As a result, he was isolated from the team and had to figure out a way to stay in touch with football. Brady had never been away from the team like this before. The Patriots were hit with a $1 million fine, the biggest in NFL history, and they also had to tackle the issue of their star QB staying away from the team. It was a tough time, but Brady’s presence was still felt all over Foxborough.

When Brady came back, he set the NFL world on fire. He passed for 28 touchdowns to only two interceptions, setting a record for TD-interception ratio. He nearly won the MVP award, and he led his team to the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history to clinch his fifth title. At the end of the day, Brady was still Brady. However, in those few weeks, he was out he had to improvise to stay in shape. Being the greatest quarterback in the world doesn’t come easy.

Tom Brady Found Innovative Ways to Stay In Shape

From the book Tom Brady and His Battle for Redemption by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge, you can find a detailed account of all the ins and outs of the Deflategate scandal. You also get a clear picture of what went through Brady’s mind and how he dealt with everything.

After the Deflategate suspension went into effect, Brady wasn’t allowed anywhere near the Patriots’ facilities. “At that moment, Brady became a ghost,” Sherman and Wedge write. “He couldn’t go near Gillette Stadium or communicate in any way with staff or any of his buddies on the team. Still, his presence was felt in Foxborough. The day after the suspension began, the team hung two gigantic Brady banners on the Gillette Stadium lighthouse that were visible from both inside and outside the stadium.”

So, how did Brady stay in shape? Well, he held private workouts with trainers Tom House and Alex Guerrero to improve his strength and flexibility. He also recruited Dartmouth receiver Ryan McManus to have a target to throw to.

“I got a call from Alex [Guerrero], and he basically asked when I wanted to work out with Tom, just like that!” McManus said as per Sherman and Wedge’s book. “And in my head I’m thinking, ‘Wow, I’m dictating when Tom Brady is going to work out? That’s pretty funny.’ So I’m like, ‘Whatever time you need me there, I’ll be there.’ That happened as simple as that.”

Brady’s mom was battling cancer at the time too which meant she couldn’t attend Patriots games early on. However, Brady promised her that by the time she’d be healthy, it’d be Super Bowl time, and he was definitely going to be there.

Brady lived up to that promise, and the rest is history.

Brady Obliterated the Browns on Return

After spending all that time away from the team, Brady didn’t show any signs of rust when he came back. The Patriots went 3-1 in his absence, but something was missing at the quarterback spot.

The Patriots were playing the Browns, and it was a bloodbath. They routed Cleveland 33-13, and Brady went 28 for 40 for 406 yards and three touchdowns. It was an emphatic victory, and it showed that Brady was the ultimate king of the NFL and not even Brady

About the author

Ashish Priyadarshi

Ashish Priyadarshi is The SportsRush's content manager and editor. Ashish freelanced for 1 year in the NFL division before taking on an editorial role in the company. He then tacked on managing content while adding on a writing role in the NBA division. Ashish has been closely following the NFL and NBA since the 2012 season when the Patriots lost the Super Bowl and Derrick Rose was at the height of his powers. Since then, Ashish has focused on honing his knowledge for both leagues in, even writing crossover pieces. In his free time, Ashish is an avid basketball player, he loves to watch movies and TV shows, immersing himself in the cinematic world. Ashish studies computer science and data science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and would love to mesh his love for sports with his technical skills.

Read More