Patriots Defender Fondly Recalls ‘Most Memorable’ Tom Brady Speech

FOXBORO, Mass. — Josh Uche sported a blue Michigan baseball cap while he addressed reporters in the Patriots’ media workroom Wednesday.

The first words out of the linebacker’s mouth when he arrived at the podium: “Shoutout Tom Brady.”

Brady naturally has been a popular topic of discussion this week as the Patriots prepare to honor him in a much-ballyhooed halftime ceremony during this Sunday’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Uche, like most of New England’s current roster, never played with the legendary quarterback. But he does have a connection to Brady through their shared alma mater.

When Uche was a Michigan freshman back in 2016, Brady traveled to Ann Arbor and spoke to the Wolverines team. That was a resonant experience for the 24-year-old.

“My freshman year, I had the privilege to listen to Tom Brady speak to the team,” Uche said. “It was one of the most memorable speeches I’ve (heard). It was an honor, the passion he spoke with.

“Him being in the same seats I was in as a freshman, and him being one of the greatest players to play this game, it was just an honor to come and listen to him. And to be in the same environment that he came through, it showed me that anything was possible, especially being at Michigan. It was one of the best speeches I ever heard.”

Brady’s message that day?

“Those who stay will be champions,” Uche recalled. “Just enduring. Everybody goes through pain, struggles. Wherever you are on the depth chart, playing time, whatever, if you stay and push through adversity and you learn how to deal with it and not run away, you’ll be where you want to be.”

The Patriots drafted Uche six weeks after Brady left for Tampa Bay, so the two never overlapped in New England. But Uche said head coach Bill Belichick frequently mentions Brady as an example of what he wants from his players.

“Not even particularly this week, but just in general,” Uche said. “Just the way he was a leader, the way he was exemplifying the Patriot Way. His execution, his calmness under pressure. Definitely referring to Tom a lot in certain situations. He’s definitely a pillar to what we’ve got going on here, so of course we see a lot of references to him.”

Those Brady references are intended, Uche said, to drive home the Patriots’ core mantra: “Do your job.”

“At the end of the day, it comes down to execution and just being calm under pressure and just doing your job at the end of the day,” Uche said. “No matter the situation, just leaning back on your fundamentals and doing your job.”

Years removed from their messy 2020 divorce, Belichick has spoken glowingly about Brady ahead of the QB’s return to Gillette Stadium.

“Can’t say enough about Tom — what he’s meant to this organization, what he’s meant to me personally,” Belichick said Monday on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.” He just epitomized everything you would want in a player. …

“For so many years, he set a standard of daily performance which turned into yearly performance which turned into not only a Hall of Fame career, but probably the best career of all time in the National Football League.”