Tom Brady Gets Poetic, Aware That Even He Could Be Traded Some Day
BOSTON (CBS) -- Tom Brady has seen his share of players come and go through the Patriots locker room, some of whom had a more surprising end than others.
From Richard Seymour to Randy Moss, Brady has seen key players leave at different times for different reasons throughout his 17 years in the NFL. So when Bill Belichick shocked everyone and traded away linebacker Jamie Collins on Monday, Brady wasn't all that surprised.
He'll miss Collins as a teammate and a friend, but Brady has a great understanding of the business side of the NFL.
"You're a human and you have a personal relationship with a lot of those guys, and I still do. I don't think that ever changes. But you also understand that there is always change in the NFL and it's a challenging part of it," Brady told reporters on Wednesday. "I think the older you get and the more you see, the more you understand and the faster you can process that. It's just the way it has to go.
"It's a challenging part of the NFL but it's inevitable," he added. "Everyone is still going to be in touch with [Collins] and he's still our friend for life. That doesn't change."
Part of that understanding is knowing that, even though he's the franchise quarterback, he too could one day experience that business side of the game.
"Absolutely. You can't be around this long and not realize that the world will keep spinning and the sun will come up tomorrow without you. That's just the way it goes," Brady said ever-so poetically. "You enjoy the experiences you have and also understand that it just keeps going on. It could happen to anybody. You just have to show up to work, do the best you can every day and let your performance try to speak for itself."
Brady's performance has certainly done a lot of talking this season, as the quarterback has put up monster numbers despite missing the first four weeks of the season. He says he's feeling pretty good at the midway point as the Patriots hit their bye week at 7-1, but he knows there is a lot left to prove on the field.
"It's still a long season and we have a lot to accomplish. [The bye is] just a very short respite, then you get back and get ready to go. Hopefully we have a good second half," said Brady. "Eight games [left] is when the football season really starts to count and you really see what you're made of."
