Tom Brady, More than a Football Player

It’s one of those things you know will come, but you never want to believe it until it happens. So many players come and go in the NFL, but to witness someone play at a high level for 22 years is one incredible feat. I was drawn to Tom early because of his time at Michigan. I followed him in hopes one day he would get an opportunity to take the field, but like the rest of everyone, the 199th pick of the draft, will he ever see the field?

People often get critical of how someone can get so emotional over football or sports in general. You always hear ‘you aren’t part of the team’ or ‘it’s just a game.’ Sure, they can be right when they say that, but for me, Brady was more than just an NFL football player.

In life, we go through so many things and constantly search for an escape. My two escapes in life have always been the movie theater and football. No matter what was going on in my life, Tom Brady was that escape for those four hours weekly. I could depend on that escape of watching him play 17 weeks (often longer with the playoffs) and forget anything else that was going on.

I’ve laughed (thinking it was fourth down), I’ve cried tears of sadness (Giants times two), cried tears of joy (more recently, the Super Bowl win with Tampa) and I’ve gotten the pleasure of saying I told you so for 22 years to all the haters. (Hi, Super Bowl vs. the Falcons and Seahawks)

Thank you, Tom, for everything. The escape, the heart attacks, the fun, Sundays will never be the same without you. Enjoy your time with the family. You deserve it, and they deserve it.