Tom Brady: I Have 'A Lot Left To Do In My Career, And A Lot Left In The Tank'
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's officially time for real football for Tom Brady and the Patriots.
With the preseason now finished, the Patriots front office will soon be putting the finishing touches on this year's roster. After that, it will be all systems go for the start of the regular season. But before hitting the field for real, Brady took some time to partake in an exclusive interview with ... his own company.
Yes, it may not have been a historic moment in journalism, but Brady's made it quite clear this offseason that he's choosing to do interviews on his own terms. And what friendlier option than the folks at TB12?
While it's much more Players' Tribune than it is a real interview, Brady did share some nuggets for the upcoming season. Namely, he discussed his mind-set as he prepares to play an NFL season at age 41.
"I guess it's an interesting position to be in because I can see the end line now, but I still feel like I have a lot to play for, a lot left to do in my career, and a lot left in the tank," Brady said. "It's motivating to me to finish the right way -- by being healthy and playing at a championship level. I've had a lot of incredible support over the years, and I've been very lucky to play for the best organization for my entire career. We've come a long way to get to this point, and doing everything I can to keep that going and continuing to forge into uncharted territory for as long as we can is a big motivator for me. I want to help our team build on the standard we have set over many years. I love this game, and I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to go out and play every day at my age, and I want forge a path for others to do the same -- if that's what they want!"
While being 41 would figure to be a disadvantage in a league full of 20-somethings, Brady claimed that his experience gives him an edge.
"It's more fun now than ever. I feel like I understand the game better than I ever have, and I feel like I can be a lot more decisive out there," he said. "Especially over the last eight years or so, I've developed a much more intuitive sense of my surroundings on the field, and I feel more comfortable out there than ever because I've seen a lot of the same situations before. I've also trained hard this off-season to improve my movement and anticipation."
Considering Brady is considered the greatest quarterback of all time, it is always interesting when he goes into detail about what drives him, even after all of the success he's achieved.
"There's a saying that I've kept close over the years: you can prove 'em right or you can prove 'em wrong. I always had a lot of confidence that I'm capable of much more than others might think, and I never lost sight of the fact that every day you have a chance to prove it and get a bit closer to the person you know you can be," Brady explained. "I love the process of getting better, the feeling of knowing you've improved -- and that's what I'm chasing on and off the field every day."
Much of the interview is focused on pliability and training methods, as a way to sell the TB12 brand -- which is, obviously, Brady's prerogative. But it also shed a little bit of light on Brady's mind-set as he sets out to do what none of his contemporaries have been able to do -- thrive at age 41.