Who is the toughest player in the NFL?
A reader recently posed this question to Jay Glazer — adding that said toughness could be defined either as “physically” or “cerebrally” — and the NFL insider pointed to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Here’s what Glazer wrote in his mailbag for The Athletic published Tuesday:
Tom Brady. The fact that he’s this old and still playing at this level, what he has between his ears and behind his ribcage, it’s just different. He’s durable, he’s as tough as they come.
Glazer then explained that Larry Allen, a former Pro Bowl offensive lineman who spent 12 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1994-2005) and two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers (2006-07), was the toughest player he’s ever seen in the NFL, citing opponents coming up with fake injuries and illnesses to avoid battling the Hall of Famer.
The hat tip to Brady sure is interesting, though. And perhaps it’s warranted. After all, Brady never has missed a game due to injury in his 19 years as New England’s starting quarterback, except for when he tore his ACL in Week 1 of the 2008 campaign and subsequently missed the remainder of the season.
