Tom Brady’s rise from a lowly 6th round 199th overall pick to the greatest player of all time isn’t just luck. It’s a tale of strategy and determination. Delving into the secrets behind Brady’s unparalleled success, former Patriots football research director Ernie Adams shared insights in a sit-down interview with Julian Edelman on the “Games with Names” podcast.
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Ernie didn’t mince his words when discussing Brady’s dedication to perfecting his craft. He even stressed that anyone claiming to match the former QB’s dedication is “full of sh*t.” Brady’s relentless pursuit of greatness since his rookie years sets him apart as the ultimate “obsessive-compulsive athlete,” showing that when channeled correctly, such traits can lead to where he currently sits.
“Tom is the ultimate obsessive-compulsive among players because he’s not, you know,” Ernie Adams said. “Tom Brady didn’t just drop out of the sky a Hall of Fame quarterback. He made himself into a Hall of Fame quarterback and when people would tell me at the draft, ‘yeah! I work hard as Brady,’ Hey! You’re full of sh*t. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Tom Brady’s former teammate, Julian Edelman, echoed Ernie’s sentiments, recalling Brady’s pursuit of perfection even when he already had three Super Bowl rings upon Edelman’s arrival in 2009.
Despite the accolades, he continued perfecting his fundamentals and rectifying mistakes after practice, a dedication often unseen by many. Ernie Adams further elaborated on Brady’s meticulous approach, adding how he never skipped practicing any play, even those he felt confident in executing during games.
Tom Brady Used To Perfect His Plays With Rookie Tight Ends After Team Practice
It has been seen that while the NFL Combine gives a peek at any player’s skills; it doesn’t tell the whole story. What truly matters is how they perform when the game is on the line. The former Patriots research director stressed this point while discussing the moment when he recognized Tom Brady’s prowess as a top playmaker.
As a third-string quarterback in his rookie year back in 2000, Tom Brady’s chances of hitting the field were slim to none. For him to be on the field, the two quarterbacks ahead of him had to get injured in the same game. However, Brady didn’t slack off; instead, he would grab TE Chris Eitzmann to the field after practice and run plays as if it were a real game scenario.
“After practice, he would go grab our young rookie tight end Chris Eitzmann and take him over on the side and make Chris run patterns for him. But it wasn’t just running patterns. Tom wanted to call for plays.” Ernie recalled, “Tom’s the guy, if he wanted to get in the right stance, how do you get in the right stance? You practice it in front of a mirror.”
Ernie Adams admired Tom’s dedication, often standing by in the stands to witness his efforts after practice. It surely helped, as Bill Belichick would go on to give him the starting role next year when Drew Bledsoe got injured. And the rest, as they say, is history.
