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Tom Brady Already Inspiring Terrance Knighton: 'The Competitiveness Rises Around You'

By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Tom Brady possesses loads of physical talent at the quarterback position, but in the areas where he is lacking, he more than makes up for potential drawbacks with his intangibles - namely, his unparalleled competitiveness.

Even as he approaches age 39 and prepares for his 17th season in the NFL with four championships under his belt, Brady's internal fire continues to crackle, inspiring everyone around him in the locker room. That even extends to new teammates who haven't played a single game in a Patriots uniform ... enter new defensive tackle Terrance Knighton.

The eight-year veteran spoke to Mike Reiss of ESPN on his first meeting with Brady, during which they reminisced about past matchups with each other - "He's won that matchup more times than I have," Knighton said. He commented on his propensity to learn as much as he could from veterans like Brady, which he has done since his time with the Denver Broncos.

"Playing with a Peyton Manning and DeMarcus Ware, you learn a lot from those guys, Hall of Famers," he said. "So I'm just trying to pick his brain, just watch him out of the corner of my eye and see how he prepares."

Brady's preparation is already inspiring Knighton, who added: "When you have a guy like that at quarterback, the competitiveness rises around you."

Knighton's comments are a strong piece of proof that a player as transcendent and relentlessly competitive as Brady can affect the entire locker room, all 53 players - not just the offense. Just because Brady doesn't play defense doesn't mean he can't inspire them to want to get the ball back to him. It's those intangible qualities that set players like Brady apart from most leaders in sports.

Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. His opinions do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.

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