Tom Brady repeatedly has expressed a desire to play into his mid-40s, something few NFL quarterbacks ever have been able to accomplish.
Dion Lewis believes he can do it.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “The Adam Schefter Podcast” published Tuesday, the New England Patriots running back said Brady will be the one who decides when his career is over.
“I think he could play as long as he wants to,” Lewis said. “There hasn’t been any drop-off in his game in the three years that I’ve played with him. You can’t tell he’s 40, so I think he could play as long as he wants to. He puts the time and the work in, and he’s very committed to the game, and he’s committed to excellence. As long as he wants to play, he could play.”
Brady, who turned 40 last August, had another stellar season in 2017, ranking in the top five in nearly every passing category and taking home NFL MVP honors for the third time in his career. Lewis said he’s “learned a lot” from Brady’s renowned health and fitness regimen, which the QB credits for his remarkable longevity.
“You see Tom in here all the time,” Lewis said. “He’s always working hard, and he takes care of his body all the time. He’s always getting rubbed down before practice, after practice, eating healthy, eating the right way. So just kind of learning from him, watching him, trying to pick up things from him.”
Lewis, who is set to hit free agency March 14, played in all 16 games this season for the first time in his career. He missed 18 games over the previous two seasons with a torn ACL and also sat out the 2013 campaign with a broken leg.
“This is the best I’ve felt in a long time,” said Lewis, who set career highs in carries, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2017. “I practiced all the OTAs, every training camp practice. I only missed one practice this season, and that’s the one day when I was sick this whole past season. So I think I put in the work. I learned how my body responds to certain things.
“My knees feel great, I feel great, and I’ve just got to keep taking care of my body. I’ve learned a lot throughout my career, and I listen to my body my than I used to. Sometimes, I try to push through things, because I like to work hard, but I’ve learned I have to listen to my body.”
