Kobe Bryant’s veiled Deflategate dig at Tom Brady as iconic as ever
Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant are undoubtedly two of the greatest athletes of all-time. Championships are second nature when looking at their respective resumes, but one particular championship stood out a bit more in the case of Bryant. Brady, who spent the first two decades of his NFL career with the New England Patriots, led the team to Super Bowl 51.
At the time, the then-Patriots quarterback was seeking his fifth Super Bowl ring. Brady and the Patriots came back from a 28-3 deficit to win the game in overtime over the Atlanta Falcons. Bryant took to Twitter to give a slight Deflategate jab at Brady after he won his fifth Super Bowl ring.
5 rings can't be deflated #Brady #Muse
In his 20 seasons in the NBA, Kobe Bryant won five titles with the LA Lakers before retiring in 2016. Although Brady went on to win two more Lombardi Trophies, Bryant did top him in All-Star/Pro Bowl appearances. The former Lakers star was a 18-time NBA All-Star while Brady is still a 15-time NFL Pro Bowler.
Sadly, Bryant passed away on Jan. 26, 2020, in a tragic helicopter crash that also took the lives of his daughter Gianna and seven others. His death shook not just the NBA world, but the sports world as a whole. Brady shared how Bryant's passing impacted him in February 2020.
Tom Brady shared an emotional essay following the passing of Kobe Bryant
On social media, Tom Brady shared a powerful essay a month after Bryant's death titled "What's really important?" In the essay, the three-time NFL MVP shared a strong message of inspiration and how Bryant affected him and what he's learned.
Brady wrote:
"In Kobe, we were able to witness the man in the arena. For many of us, sports show what we are made of, they define our personalities and emotions. We cannot hide from the good or the bad, from the wins or the losses ... the joy and despair, the happiness and the pain."
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Tom Brady added:
"The answer is simple to me, ALL OF US. Decide to make the change in yourself. If there is anything I have learned and been inspired by through this tragic event, it is this, SEIZE THE DAY. That's what Kobe always did, and that's what he wanted for us too."
Brady also said what he'd miss the most about the Oscar winner and his ability to reach others:
"He [Bryant] had the energy to recognize in others what they could not recognize in themselves. I think that's why I will miss him most. He's a real superhero our world needs."
Without question, Tom Brady and countless others still miss Bryant and his impact on the world.
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