It would be easy for Tom Brady to rest on his laurels.
The New England Patriots quarterback will enter the 2019 NFL season just like he has on five other occasions over the course of his 20-year career: as a reigning Super Bowl champion. Brady, of course, has nothing left to prove and his “G.O.A.T.” status effectively is cemented, but the fire still burns strong for the future Hall of Famer.
For most, the strain of training camp can be a drag. For Brady, it will be the anticipated start of a new chapter. It sure seems like the veteran signal-caller has enjoyed his summer, but when the Patriots kick off camp next week, it will be business as usual.
“As is the norm, Patriots quarterbacks and players recovering from injuries are among those who report for training camp earlier than the regular veteran reporting date (July 24),” ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes. “So that essentially means this is the final weekend for Brady to fill the tank with family/personal time before he begins the grind of his 20th season. That is how Brady has described his approach over the past two offseasons, which he believes allows him to be his best self in attacking all the demands of a football season. It worked well for him in 2018, and now with his 42nd birthday approaching Aug. 3, I can already envision his first motivational Instagram post/tweet as he makes his way to Gillette Stadium next week as part of the early reporting group. Those close to him describe him as being as excited as ever.”
Brady has every reason to be excited. The Patriots, at least on paper, feature a fairly light regular-season schedule, which could pave the way for yet another successful campaign in New England. And while the Patriots’ roster doesn’t seem to be striking fear in anyone as the new season nears, one has to imagine Brady is eager to embrace the challenge as he tries to lead the team to back-to-back championships for the second time in franchise history.
