Throughout his 20 years spent with the New England Patriots, Tom Brady seemed like a football machine with one singular purpose: Win.
The Pats did plenty of that over those two decades, taking home six Lombardi Trophies, and establishing one of the most successful dynasties in professional sports history.
When Brady left New England and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in 2020, the success didn’t change. With the GOAT at the helm, the Bucs have enjoyed the most successful two-year stretch in franchise history, winning their second Super Bowl in franchise history, setting a team record with 13 regular-season wins in 2021, and winning their first division title in more than a decade.
What did change was Brady’s willingness to let his guard down with the media and the public, showing more of his humanity, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times detailed in his recent conversation with Rich Eisen:
"He allows you to see the human side of him."
Talked @TomBrady with @NFLSTROUD after TB12 offered up maybe his most relatable quote following #GoBucs final #NFLPreseason game on Saturday:#NFL pic.twitter.com/XdBLE6593B
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) August 29, 2022
Brady recently returned from an 11-day absence from the Bucs due to personal reasons, and has made it clear over the past couple of years that balancing his commitment to excellence on the gridiron with the other responsibilities and desires in his life is a constant challenge.
That the greatest player in the history of the sport decided to take such a long absence from the game, in the middle of training camp, to give attention to his personal life, should serve as a helpful reminder that football players are still just human beings.
Yes, even Tom Brady.
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