"I'm a very, very lucky man": When Tom Brady opened up about football's role in his life
Six years ago when Tom Brady was playing with the New England Patriots, he opened up about a candid interview on Westwood One about his passion for football.
Talking about playing for nearly two decades in the NFL, Brady described his career as a gift on TB12.
"I wake up every day excited to go to work," he shared during the interview. "I wake up every day fulfilled with what I'm doing. I don't think there's any greater gift in my life than to have that."
He added:
"In my heart and soul, I love playing the sport of football, and it's brought me so much joy in my life. I'm a very, very lucky man."
For Brady, playing football wasn't just about playing games, it was a melting pot of emotion and character.
“It tests you in so many ways. There's anxiousness and nerves, and joy and happiness. There's disappointment and frustration. The emotions run the gamut. But if you can stay and build your mental toughness, it's just been incredibly rewarding," he continued.
That's why Tom Brady could hit milestones after milestones. Magic happens when passion meets profession, so much so that the NFL legend continued playing until 45 before bidding football for good in February 2023.
Tom Brady's 19th year with the New England Patriots was full of highs
After losing the Super Bowl to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017-218 NFL season, Tom Brady started his season opener the next year with 277 passing yards, three TDs and one interception. That was just a precursor of things to come.
By Week 6, Brady pulled off his 200th regular-season win to become the first QB in NFL history to hit this mark. The accolades didn't stop there, though. In Week 15, TB12 surpassed 70,000 career passing yards – something that only three other NFL players had accomplished before him.
Although in Week 16, Brady put up a modest performance, the Patriots clinched their 10th consecutive AFC East title. By the time the season ended, the ex-NFL QB had completed 375 passes for 4,355 yards, 29 TDs and 11 interception and moved to sixth in the NFL Top 100 Players list alongside a 14th Pro Bowl nomination.
Next, came the postseason. After beating the Chargers in the divisional round, the Patriots punched their ticket to the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The game was an epic clash, where the Patriots beat the Chiefs.
Finally, against the Los Angeles Rams on the Super Bowl LIII day, the Tom Brady-led Patriots won 13–3, giving the NFL Hall of Famer his record sixth ring. At 41, Brady became the oldest QB to win a Super Bowl.