04 April 2023 , 10:44
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Tom Brady is one of the most famous athletes in the world - but once he’s in the locker room, he’s just focused on being a great teammate.
That was a theme throughout Brady’s glittering career, which saw him win a record seven Super Bowls and establish his reputation as arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time. And it was apparent when Jakobi Meyers set foot into the New England Patriots facility in 2019.
Meyers was an undrafted free agent from NC State, whilst Brady was in his 20th season with the team having seen it all over the past two decades. Meyers wouldn’t have expected to be on Brady’s radar, but their first encounter summed up the quarterback and his personality.
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“Honestly, that was kind of a cool moment,” Meyers said on a recent episode of The Rich Eisen Show. “It wasn’t really a full conversation, but I remember my first time seeing him.
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“He came in the locker room, and he knew all the guys’ names. I mean, I was an undrafted guy when we had all types of players on that team that year.
“Just for him to know all the undrafted players’ names, he knew all of our names and he showed love to us so, I definitely appreciate him for that.”
Meyers and Brady played just one season together in New England, with Brady departing at the end of the 2019 season before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retired at the end of last season, whilst Meyers earned a move to the Las Vegas Raiders on a three-year contract.
Brady retired from the NFL during the off-season whilst Meyers has joined the Las Vegas Raiders (Hakim Wright Sr/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Whilst Brady gave him a warm greeting, once they got on the field, Meyers knew he had to prove himself fast to earn a spot on the roster. He managed to do just that.
“I had to learn fast,” he told NBC Sports last year. “I didn't really have an excuse. That was a guy who'd been playing for two decades, you know what I mean?
“I didn't get the liberty of, 'Oh, he'll catch on one day.' I came in with a first-round receiver, N'Keal. Tom Brady, future Hall of Famer.
“I had to pick it up real fast or I wouldn't be here long. It definitely pushed the tempo and I'm happy it worked out the way it did.”