Tom Brady helps Steph Curry with invaluable late-career success route
Tom Brady continues to defy age. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback recently celebrated his 44th birthday and is entering his 21st season in the NFL as the reigning Super Bowl MVP.
His incomparable longevity hasn't gone unnoticed by other athletes, and some are curious to know Brady's secret and prolong their prime. NBA superstar Stephen Curry is one of them and has been vocal about his admiration for Brady. When asked if Brady has changed the narrative around older athletes, Curry said:
"Absolutely. I’ve actually talked to him personally about this. He’s at the point now where he can look back and talk about that with some authority and experience."
Can Stephen Curry match Tom Brady's longevity?
Curry, a three-time NBA champion, two-time MVP and seven-time All-Star, has been one of the sport's biggest stars in the last decade. Last year Curry had one of the best seasons of his career, winning the NBA scoring for the second time in his career.
Curry is now 33 and has the same number of championships as Brady had when he was 33. Brady, now 44, has since won four Super Bowl rings to take his tally up to seven, so Curry has his work cut out if he wants to match Brady's accolades.
But Curry believes he can follow the quarterback's example and continue to play at a high level for years to come. Speaking about how he plans on prolonging his career, the NBA superstar said:
“Even [Brady] said, in the moment, when he was in his early 30s, mid-30s, late-30s, it was always, ‘I think I’ve still got two more years in me. Stay. Do everything I can to sustain yourself and stay physically and mentally sharp. And then you look up and you’re saying that again, saying it the next two years. And you’re saying it again. It's all about staying in the moment and not fast forwarding and putting too much pressure on yourself to reach that milestone."
Is Brady in his last NFL season?
After restructuring his deal with the Buccaneers following the Super Bowl, Brady is now under contract for at least two more years with the team. The quarterback had previously said that he plans on playing until he turns 45, but evidently he now believes that he can play beyond that.
Backed by a solid supporting cast in Tampa, there's no reason for Brady to hang its cleats as of now. The Buccaneers will be Super Bowl contenders this season and Brady has a desire to add a couple more rings to his collection before retiring. As long as he still has a passion for the sport, we can expect him to keep playing.