Brady still feels grateful for his opportunity to play quarterback for the Patriots.
New England Patriots' Tom Brady signs autographs during NFL football training camp in Foxborough, Mass., Saturday, July 28, 2012.When Tom Brady looks around the league, the view is much different than how he remembers it from his early years.
Peyton Manning is dressed in some weird and exotic hue, Brett Favre is coaching some high school team in a town most have never heard of, and several proud franchises have risen and fell to obscurity since he took the reigns from Drew Beldsoe during the 2001 season.
Yet time has seemingly stood still on Route 1, where the image of Brady and Bill Belichick still hangs over every decision and continues to define who the New England Patriots are. In a league where no projected starter at quarterback has spent more than 10 seasons with his team, Brady will celebrate his 13th consecutive birthday with the Pats when he turns 35 in August.
“I certainly don’t take it for granted,” Brady said. “It’s the most fun I have. I still feel like a young kid out here trying to earn a spot, trying to be a good example. Obviously, I have more experience than most of the guys out here, but you still try to bring enthusiasm and leadership, and try to go out and do your job.”
Brady stated, as he often does, that he’s just trying to win a spot on the roster and get to birthday No. 14 with the Patriots. Despite his straight face, Brady has to know that as long as he’s healthy and productive, which he most certainly is right now, that will never change.
His passes sharp and crisp, he’s made few mistakes in the early stages of camp and his chemistry with his receivers and tight ends has been evident. Things have even looked easy with Brandon Lloyd, who joined the team this offseason, even though both have said that they are still in somewhat of an awkward stage in terms of chemistry development.
But despite the constant whoops and hollers from the crowd, Brady hasn’t been pleased with his performance. He feels “lethargic” and sometimes his receivers appear that way.
What he’s seeing now isn’t perfect, and even this early in the process anything less than an artful display of passing feels like a failure. His hunger won’t allow him to become satisfied on a mere appetizer.
“It’s been the same thing since I got here – to win,” Brady said. “That’s the only thing that matters with your training, practicing, nutrition, rehab – it’s to win. Everything you do when you come out here is about winning and being the best you can for this team.”
That shouldn’t be a problem this season. Brady hasn’t shown any regression throughout his career, and some may argue that last season, when he threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns, was one of his best.
But right now he can’t worry about getting back to the Super Bowl or what happened last season, there’s a roster to make, and it would be devastating if he had to make other living arraingments.
"I love playing quarterback for this team,” Brady said. “It’s a great responsibility to have, and I appreciate it every single day. There’s nothing I’d rather do than be out here being a quarterback for this team. My life is pretty much built around that.”
For some reason it seems like that won’t be changing anytime soon.