Here’s What Pro Footballer Tom Brady Said About Being ‘Benched’ During His Early Days

Tom Brady has a well-accomplished career as a professional athlete for American Football. His consistent passion for the game is followed by the tireless effort he’s physically put in. And it has enabled him to be a better version of himself throughout the numerous games he’s played in. However, before he became successful in the NFL the pro athlete had quite a few struggles during his early days. An article published by CNBC in 2020 quoted his first-ever sit-down interview in the year 2000. 

Brady at the time was just a mere 23-year-old rearing to discover his full potential in the game. He played for the New England Patriots who were a great team of sportsmen. Back then, his fellow quarterbacks would cover a 40-yard run in under 5 seconds. But he was able to do the dash in 5.28 seconds. 

In the world of American Football especially for a quarterback, speed, and agility with a mixture of fierce strength can mean a fine line between winning or losing the match. Brady’s coaches seemed to be more than well aware of the fact and hence, he was benched for almost the entirety of his rookie year. And was a backup to the team’s then-quarterback Drew Bledsoe. 

As disappointing and disheartening as it could’ve been, Brady didn’t seem to lose hope nor did he feel negatively about it. In the interview, he recollects his experience of being on the bench and clarifies whether or not he’d have it any other way. “I tell myself every day, I said, ‘Where would you rather be?’” Brady asked himself with great curiosity before he continued. “And the answer is always the same: I’d rather just be right here doing exactly what I’m doing,” confessed the athlete with pride. 

As the interview progressed, he talked about making the most of his circumstances given the difficulties he’d had to face when he merely began the path towards going pro. “I didn’t understand how much time was actually spent studying the game and preparing for the game and preparing for every possible situation,” he pondered. Although he played a crucial role in the team as a quarterback. 

He recalled his coach giving him a hard dose of reality check as to what the role truly entails. “My coach [Bill Belichick] made a point to me and said, ‘You know you’re trying to see everything and instead you’re seeing nothing?” he quotes Belichick. He then mentioned that it “was a great piece of coaching advice,” In conclusion, he notes his keen observations of being mentally and physically sound while being on the field. “I’m really trying to stay out there and take a lot of the mental reps, and I see what Drew does out there.”