Tom Brady is often considered the GOAT of the NFL, with numerous records and achievements under his belt. He is hailed as one of the greatest athletes globally, alongside legends like Roger Federer, Sachin Tendulkar, and Michael Jordan. Despite this, Brady is reluctant to embrace the title and prefers not to be labeled as such.
After his Super Bowl LIII victory in Feb. 2019, Brady admitted in an interview with Good Morning America that he doesn’t like being called the GOAT:
“I don’t even like it; it makes me cringe.”
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Brady believes that being labeled as the GOAT could potentially affect his performance as he thrives more on criticism than praise.
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“I wish you would say, ‘You’re trash, you’re too old, you’re too slow, you can’t get it done no more,'” Brady said. “And I’ll say, ‘Thank you very much; I’ll prove you wrong.’”
Throughout his career, Brady has excelled in the face of doubt and criticism. His dedication to self-improvement and the support of pliability therapy from Alex Guerrero have enabled him to stay in top form and avoid succumbing to age-related challenges.
Brady acknowledges that he is his harshest critic, using criticism as fuel to push himself to perform at his best.
“The personal criticism, I mean, I think I’ll walk off the practice field and be like, ‘That was the worst day, you know, like get your mind right,'” he said. “Sports have always brought that out in me.”
Tom Brady rises to silence doubters
Brady’s career trajectory showcases his ability to rise to the occasion when underestimated. From being a late-round draft pick to leading the Patriots to multiple Super Bowl victories, Brady has consistently defied expectations. Even after leaving the Patriots, he continued to excel with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, proving his critics wrong once again.
His resilience and determination in the face of doubt have been hallmarks of his career.
Edited by Krutik Jain