Tom Brady, may have had an edge over nearly every player he ever faced, but even he wasn’t immune to the physical toll inflicted by one of the league’s most fearsome defenders: Ray Lewis; and admits he’s still facing problems to this day.
While the seven-time Super Bowl champion boasts dominant career records against almost every team and most opponents, he recently admitted that one hit from Lewis left a lasting impact. Literally.
“That guy is still responsible for the shoulder pain I have,” Brady joked, referring to Lewis, during a recent episode of his YouTube series.
Though his tone may have been lighthearted, his words pointed to a real consequence of one of the few losses he suffered to the Baltimore Ravens during the 2009 AFC Wild Card game.
A rare blemish in the quarterback’s otherwise stellar playoff record. In that game, Brady was sacked early by both Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, two Hall of Famers who defined his opponent’s brutal defensive identity.
And the impact of that game went beyond the scoreboard. As Brady tells it, the physical punishment he endured that day, particularly from Lewis, played a role in his approach to conditioning, recovery, and preparation over the remainder of his career.
The former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback emphasized that avoiding injury in the NFL isn’t just about talent-it’s about total discipline on and odd the field.
“When you’re getting hit, there’s a discipline with your physical body that you need to take into account,” Brady added. “Because if you f**k around, you’re gonna get hurt.
“You don’t mess around with your training, because you will pay the price.”
Hits like Lewis‘ not only hurt, but served as powerful reminders to Brady of what was at stake every time he stepped onto the field. This awareness fueled his now-famous commitment to training, including his rigorous TB12 Method.
That is his plant-based diet, pliability work, and film study and they’re measures that helped him stay competitive well into his 40s as he won the Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the twilight of his career.
Brady’s steely toughness
Brady‘s toughness was perhaps best exemplified in a 2003 clash against the Buffalo Bills, when the cornerback Nate Clements delivered a bone-jarring hit that sent him tumbling to the deck.
Despite enduring five sacks and relentless pressure that day, he got back up to jog off the field and led New England to a 12-9 win. It not only displayed his physical ability to take a hit, but his mental strength too.
He may joke about his aches today, but those hits helped shape one of the most dominant athletes in modern sports; and if Lewis’ tackle still echoes in Brady’s shoulder, it only proves the brutal reality of the game he mastered.
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