Tom Brady is a massive competitor, and once, he got so heated over an interception that he fought with his offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien. The then Patriots quarterback made a rare mistake, throwing an interception in the red zone, and when he came back to the sideline, things got heated. Tom Brady and Bill O’Brien laid into each other, a sight that would be pretty uncommon among winning teams like the Pats. Of course, the matter never escalated and Brady and O’Brien enjoyed great success together, but in the moment, it was pretty tense.
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Brady was a machine when it came to football. He was completely dedicated to his craft, and he worked hard to achieve whatever he did. Brady was well known for his competitive spirit. He didn’t back down from any challenge or any opponent, whether it was his own team or not. The NFL GOAT simply had one objective on his mind: win. Brady had unique methods to hype himself up before games, and he carried that same energy with his teammates too.
Tom Brady and Bill O’Brien Had A Heated Conversation About Interception
While Brady was the greatest quarterback to have played, he wasn’t perfect. He made his fair share of mistakes, and he threw his fair share of turnovers.
However, it was Brady’s ability to bounce back from those mistakes and his ability to stay consistently good that separated him from the rest of the field.
Sometimes, his mistakes would get the better of him. The Patriots were playing the then-Washington Redskins when Brady threw an interception in the back of the endzone.
Brady wanted his receiver Tiquan Underwood to be more aggressive and come back for the ball. He was frustrated on the sideline and let Underwood know about it, something he admitted he never does.
OC Bill O’Brien overheard Brady, and he wasn’t having it. O’Brien didn’t want Brady throwing his teammates under the bus, and he didn’t see the point in discussing a play that had already happened. He tore into Brady, and Brady being the competitor that he is fought back.
Back in those days, Bill O’Brien used to carry the nickname “teapot” because of how angry he could get the more and more heated he got. Ultimately, the fight didn’t result in anything bigger or more dramatic. If anything, it showed how dedicated both Brady and O’Brien were to winning.
Bill O’Brien and Tom Brady describing their sideline yelling match is incredible .
Glad to have BOB back in New England.
pic.twitter.com/8jq15uFL3q— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) August 26, 2023
Brady Was the Ultimate Competitor
Brady’s competitive nature was something he brought into the league from college. He told Pats owner Robert Kraft straight up that he was the best decision the New England franchise had made despite being a sixth-round pick.
He used to organize games and outings with his rookie teammates to keep competition alive while they didn’t get playing time. Mind you, Brady took these seriously, and he would get heated when he lost.
At the end of the day, Brady’s competitive spirit is what set him apart from so many players. He wanted to win at all costs, and that translated into his training and work ethic.