Tom Brady’s obsession with perfection is legendary, but according to former teammate Ted Karras, it once took an unexpectedly personal turn. During an appearance on Julian Edelman’s “Games with Names” podcast, Karras shared a hilarious and slightly humiliating story about a moment when Brady publicly scolded him in front of thousands of fans.
Karras, now the Cincinnati Bengals’ starting center, was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round in 2016. He spent four seasons with Brady in Foxborough, helping the team win multiple division titles and two Super Bowls.
But not every moment was glamorous. While blocking for the NFL’s most decorated quarterback, Karras learned that even minor issues, like sweat, weren’t tolerated.
Brady, known for his detailed preparation, famously disliked taking snaps from sweaty centers. He even required his centers to tuck towels into their pants to avoid damp exchanges. But when Karras didn’t meet Brady’s standards during a public practice at Gillette Stadium, the quarterback took matters into his own hands.
According to Karras, Brady pulled him aside in front of about 15,000 fans, yelled at him for being “a sweaty pig,” and then physically pulled back his pants to apply baby powder himself.
“I was kind of embarrassed,” Karras admitted on the podcast. “But I would always just do whatever he said.”
Brady’s demanding standards
This wasn’t just a one-off moment of sideline theater. Brady’s attention to detail extended to everything from towel folding techniques to sweat management. He reportedly taught every potential center how to properly fold and place the towel so he wouldn’t have to touch damp fabric or skin during games.
While the ritual sounds bizarre, it highlights Brady’s drive for consistency and control. For a quarterback who thrived on rhythm and timing, even the feel of a snap had to be exact. Brady’s desire for a dry grip on the football wasn’t just about comfort, it was about execution at the highest level.
Karras and Brady both left New England in 2020, as Karras signed briefly with the Dolphins before joining the Bengals, while Brady spent his final three seasons with the Buccaneers. As for whether Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has any similar rituals, Karras hasn’t said, but few quarterbacks are as famously intense as Brady.
Now in his second year as Fox Sports’ lead NFL analyst, Brady continues to bring that same precision to broadcasting. But stories like Karras’ show that behind every championship snap was a player who took preparation to a whole new (and sometimes hilarious) level.
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