FOXBORO, Mass. — Tom Brady has maintained his business-as-usual approach at camp, even as Deflategate continues to be the mainstoryline surround the New England Patriots and promises not to go away anytime soon with Brady and the NFLPA taking the matter to court.
Brady and the Patriots returned to Gillette Stadium on Friday for their second practice of training camp, and once again, the reigning Super Bowl MVP received several thunderous ovations from fans during drills.
“He’s always razor-sharp focused,” Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman said. “It’s one of those things where he’s focused, we’re trying to be focused.”
Edelman added: “(Brady is) out here doing what everyone else is doing — trying to get better. It’s a new year. There are a bunch of individual goals that everyone has. I’m sure you could ask him what his are, but he’s coming out here and he’s putting the time in just like everyone else and just trying to get better.”
The Patriots have dealt with a lot of distractions and adversity in Edelman’s six-year tenure with the team, and he credits head coach Bill Belichick with helping the group block out noise from the outside.
“Our leader, coach Belichick, always reminds us that it’s not about the future, it’s about what’s on our plate right now, and what’s on our plate right now is going out and trying to get better each day in training camp,” Edelman said. “He’s been around a very long time, as he always says, around this league, so you’re going to trust what he says and just try to continue to get better each and every day.”
Edelman has developed quite a chemistry with Brady, and that was evident throughout the Patriots’ journey to Super Bowl XLIX last season. Edelman has averaged 98 receptions, 1,014 yards and five touchdowns as Brady’s top receiver target over the last two seasons.
Despite his success in that span, Edelman isn’t having trouble keeping himself motivated.
“I’ve got a lot of individual goals,” Edelman said. “I’ll keep those to myself, but I’m self-motivated. I want to come out here and try to do everything I can do to help this team, and that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
