NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After the New England Patriots’ fifth joint practice of the summer, Tom Brady took some time out of his busy schedule to meet an adoring fan.
His name is Taylor Lewan, and he plays left tackle for the Tennessee Titans.
Lewan and Brady both played their college ball at Michigan, but until this week, they’d never actually spoken — a fact the lineman lamented during Brady’s segment of the NFL’s “Top 100 Players of 2019” special.
That changed Wednesday. After the Patriots and Titans wrapped up a muggy, chippy session at Tennessee’s practice facility, Brady greeted Lewan, waved away encroaching video cameras and had a nice, long chat with the three-time Pro Bowler.
“I just met the guy, just now,” Lewan said after they parted. “The only way we know each other (is) he went to Michigan, I went to Michigan. He is the greatest football player of all time, so to just have a chance to pick his brain in a private conversation for a second, it was cool. He’s a very genuine human being, and I think that’s awesome, to handle all that success and be as humble as he is.”
Lewan wasn’t so friendly with every member of the Patriots roster. New England defensive linemen and the Tennessee O-line had to be separated multiple times during 1-on-1 drills, and Lewan was at the center of at least one post-whistle scrap.
“That happens, man,” he said. “I mean, it’s a competition. People want to get into it. People want to get chippy. One guy does one thing and just escalates, and it kind of snowballs a little bit. Then you nip it in the bud, and it is what it is. It was solid. It is what it is. That type of stuff happens all the time. … Both teams handled themselves very well in those situations.”
