For much of his career and even to date, Tom Brady has been the embodiment of obsession with winning. And what cemented that image were his seven Super Bowls and 251 career victories. He can even stake a claim as the NFL’s greatest, which is among the reasons he’s so often linked to the quote: “If you don’t play to win, don’t play at all.”
Advertisement
However, in the latest edition of his weekly 199 Newsletter, Brady reveals that winning alone wasn’t the true fuel that sustained him for more than two decades in the league. What really pushed him through 23 NFL seasons was something deeper and simpler: accountability to those around him.
This reflection came to him after sitting down with Jerry Rice, the legendary San Francisco 49ers receiver he idolized while growing up in the Bay Area. Understandably, for Brady, sharing space with a man who redefined excellence at the wide receiver position, also for nearly two decades, was surreal. But what struck him most wasn’t Rice’s resume; it was the motivation that carried him through 20 seasons
“The thing that kept him going all those years, at such a high level, was the desire to never let his teammates down,” Brady wrote.
“I felt the exact same way. It’s what motivated me for 23 seasons and what drove me to prep, practice, and play the way I did every day. More than money, more than accolades, more even than winning when I really step back to think about it,” he added.
This parallel between the two NFL behemoths matters because what the two achieved is exceedingly rare. In the history of the league, only 21 players have lasted at least 20 years, with Brady being the 4th longest serving in the league, while Rice is the WR with the most seasons played [20].
But as we now know, what the secret behind the duo’s shared longevity wasn’t about chasing self-centered records. Brady illustrated this point best in his newsletter by revisiting the aftermath of his very first championship in 2001.
For the young Brady, the euphoria of celebrating the Patriots’ Super Bowl 36 win after Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning kick was unmatched. By contrast, the next day’s MVP parade at Disney World, while special, felt oddly incomplete. The reason was simple: he wasn’t with his teammates.
This contrast also crystallized his mindset: “I never want to be the reason we don’t get to do this again,” Brady remembered telling himself. From that day forward, the joy of collective achievement, the duck boats in Boston, the city-wide parades, the locker room embraces, became his North Star.
So for a man already stacked with awards and accolades, it wasn’t the pursuit of another ring that kept him sharp in year 23. It was making sure rookies, veterans, and teammates felt the same elation he did back in 2001.
In the end, Tom Brady’s latest reflection makes one thing clear: greatness may have defined his legacy, but service to his teammates is what defined and fuelled his journey. Who could have seen that coming?
