Motivational Story - This NFL Superstar Battled Tough Odds to Live Out his Dreams

 

How could pro scouts screw up on an athlete that has now won six Super Bowl rings, is a lead-pipe lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and possibly may go down as the greatest Quarterback in the history of the NFL? In the year 2000, this player was passed over by every NFL team until pick number 199 when the New England Patriots called out the name "Tom Brady" as their choice in the sixth round. 

Now from a scouts perspective, Brady entered his California high school years as a slow-footed beanpole so said a report. They said Brady had a Division 1 arm but a Division 5 lower body. Not very impressive in a sport that emphasizes size and speed. But he was super-competitive and wanted to excel. So he did more than attend regular practices. He went the extra mile by attending quarterback camps in Arizona and Southern California. He even spent personal time with a throwing guru who ran a school for quarterbacks. 

Before he graduated, Brady sent out video tapes of his games to more than “50” universities around the country. Not many responded but Michigan was willing to give him a chance. Before he even made it to the campus, the two coaches who recruited him and believed in him left the Wolverines. His first year, Michigan kept Brady on the bench with the third string unit. The second year, he played in portions of only two games and threw just five passes. His very first college toss was picked off and run back for a touchdown. 

He considered changing schools and went to a sports psychologist to help him cope with anxiety. Brady came back with a resolve to prove his worth. He went to the team's football facility almost every night to watch extra film. He soaked up everything: schemes, opposing player tendencies and even the minds of Michigan's defensive coaches. Slowly, a different quarterback emerged. Brady recognized defenses before the ball was snapped. He knew which receivers would be open and, in what would become his hallmark, became unshakable in the pocket, able to maintain both his concentration and his accuracy when he was about to get hit. After a great Senior season, Brady was ready to advance to the NFL but the Pro Scouts saw Tom as a gamble. That "he didn't have the total package of skills." Some felt he "was still too thin, didn't run well and couldn’t scramble."

At New England, he'd have to start out once again at the bottom. He wasn't on second string. Not even on third string. Brady was put on practice squad but credit Head Coach Bill Belichick, who was adamant to the team’s football operations that the club keep Brady on their roster, an unheard of move especially in a salary cap era of the NFL.

Belichick noticed that Brady worked out harder than most anyone else in the weight room. He threw himself into off-season workouts, whether or not he was required to attend. After a normal practice day, he'd lead a group of others on the practice squad to run through the plays until they had them down. Whatever he may have lacked in physical size, he made up for it with his work ethic, team spirit, and a rare ability to care for and energize those around him. 

During the 2001 season, Brady found himself elevated to the back-up QB spot on the Patriots’ depth chart. When Drew Bledsoe, the starter, went down with an injury in the second game of the season, Brady got the nod and took over the reins, leading the Patriots to victory in 11 of his 14 games and guided the club to its first ever Super Bowl Title in franchise history, earning him MVP Honors from the championship game.

FOR THE ATHLETES: The purpose behind this story is for you to know that even Legends can struggle to find their place? Look at the great Lou Gehrig. He did not make the New York Yankees' roster with his first try? It actually was on his 4th attempt that he became a permanent player? The key to your success will always be in your Preparation and to have your Mindset in "Game Ready" form when you get that Call! All it takes is for One Opportunity to make a person’s career!

Jim Loria

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES RELATING TO THIS STORY 

“I think I've always had the shots. But in the past, I've suffered too many mental lapses. Once I started to get away from that and improve my mental discipline and commitment to the game that was the difference between being around for the Final or watching the Finals from my sofa at home” – stated by Andre Agassi, former World's No. 1 player in Men's Singles and 8-time Grand Slam Champion

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ALWAYS REMEMBER: “Your body hears everything your mind says" – stated by Naomi Judd, Singer/Songwriter

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