"I cried" - Former Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe reveals that he was left shattered seeing Tom Brady claim his first SB title
Even before Tom Brady, the New England Patriots had a franchise quarterback. Young NFL fans may not have gotten to watch Drew Bledsoe play for the Patriots between 1993 and 2001.
But Bledsoe was one of the most recognizable players in the 90's.
Brady's new documentary, "Man in the Arena," revealed how winning the 2002 Super Bowl impacted Bledsoe. Bledsoe was the mentor who bottled up his emotions at the time.
But in reality, he was hurt by being surpassed by his pupil.
If you are a Patriots fan and don't feel for Drew Bledsoe, you aren't a real fan. Yes, his injury led to Tom Brady becoming the starter, but Drew was the guy, and the #Patriots don;t make it to the Super Bowl in 2001 without him
Drew Bledsoe reveals that he was left shattered seeing Tom Brady claim his first SB title
Bledsoe was the Patriots' starting quarterback for eight full seasons before the 2001 campaign that changed the Patriots forever. The four-time Pro-Bowler didn't let his emotions show during the season. In "Man in the Arena," Bledsoe revealed,
“By about 11 o’clock the next morning, I was sitting in a chairlift skiing in Whitefish, Montana, and I remember I got on the chairlift, all by myself, and I cried. I just sat there and it was the first time I let it all come crashing down on me.”
It's hard not to feel for Bledsoe in this situation. Tom Brady went on to become the greatest player in NFL history.
But Bledsoe set the tone and led by example as the Patriots leader for eight years before being upended.
Bledsoe wasn't setting the world on fire statistically, but defenses were much more dominant in the '90s and early 2000s. Many believe it was Bledsoe, not Tom Brady or Bill Belichick, who created the Patriot way.
Drew Bledsoe was the originator of The Patriot Way. #ManInTheArena
Drew Bledsoe, the original mentor to Tom Brady
Tom Brady was just 24-years-old when he led the Patriots to the Super Bowl. Brady needed someone to mentor him, and Bledsoe swallowed his pride and heeded the call.
Without the veteran presence of Bledsoe, Tom Brady may not have been able to do what he did in the 2002 playoffs. Bledsoe added,
“I remember being excited for our guys, but at the same time a little internally disheartened,” Bledsoe said. “‘Like man, battled through a lot of stuff to try to get to this point, and now I’ve arrived here and the other guy got to play.'”
Bledsoe's reaction and behind-the-scenes look at the Patriots are why fans are tuning into "Man in the Arena." There are still nine more episodes and nine more Super Bowl appearances to talk about as well.
Tom Brady's documentary is off to a successful start and will continue to release weekly episodes on Tuesdays.