Tom Brady barely made it into college football beginning as the seventh string quarterback before finally sharing time as a starter in his senior year. Considered undersized, not mobile, with a weak arm, he was drafted 199th in the sixth round of the NFL draft by the New England Patriots. He was a back up who played little until a fateful day when starter, Drew Bledsoe, was knocked out of a game. Brady came in and went on to win 14 of the next 17 games, including the Super Bowl, becoming the youngest quarterback to win it. Three Super Bowls, MVP awards, endorsements, and super model girl friends. Out of nowhere this young man seemed to have come and won it all.
Originally aired in 2005, this updated 60 Minutes interview by Steve Kroft yielded this surprising and transparent insight into Brady. From the transcript:
But with all Brady's fame and career accomplishments, Kroft was surprised to hear this from him: “Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there's something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, ‘Hey man, this is what is.’ I reached my goal, my dream, my life. Me, I think, ‘God, it's got to be more than this.’ I mean this isn't, this can't be what it's all cracked up to be.”
What's the answer?
“I wish I knew. I wish I knew,” says Brady. "I love playing football and I love being quarterback for this team. But at the same time, I think there are a lot of other parts about me that I’m trying to find."
What would be your answer to Brady's question?
Have you been honest enough to ask that question for yourself?
Comments (2)
…Gotcha…Al of It!
…what has fuelled civilization and to a large extent Human progress, is that realization that first; there is no limit to individual human achievement amd secondly that, individual achievement alone, disconnected from other people in terms of achievement, need, camaradie is empty, hollow and not all that it is made out to be.
Hence, whenever one comes to the top of the hill, after the euphoria washes over, Questions like, ..who do i sahre it with?…What does this mean really mean ( One man + a hill = meaningless…ha haaa)?, …Why did I do it? …of what Value is it to others?…what do others think about it? …and finally, ….Is this all there is to it? ( Men?..Hills) ,…Hence those searching Questions for Ultimate sense and meaning…Who made me? Who made the hills? What Im I & the hills here for?
Tom Brady’s Pursuit of Meaning
I’m not surprised, but I am guilty as well of forgetting that outward success is not the measure of inner peace.
How many times do we look at our next door neighbor or co-worker and make a judgement about the "outward?" God set Samuel straight, as it related to David, may He do the same for us.
I hope Tom Brady will realize one day that there are Burning Bushes all around him.