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Tom Brady Praises 'Phenomenal' Terrell Suggs: 'I Have A Lot Of Respect For His Ability'

BOSTON (CBS) -- Throughout the many years of the Patriots and Ravens battling back and forth, one enduring showdown has been the one between Tom Brady and Terrell Suggs.

The Patriots quarterback found himself in the crosshairs of the Ravens linebacker, both on the field and off.

"I don't like him, he don't like me. I don't like his hair," Suggs has famously said as part of his multi-year campaign against Brady. "I don't like his smug attitude. Then again, he probably don't like my [expletive for 'jerk'] attitude."

But if you thought any of that would carry over into the building at 1 Patriot Place in advance of this year's Baltimore-New England playoff meeting, well, then you haven't been paying attention for the past 15 years.

Brady took to the podium on Tuesday and, predictably, only offered compliments toward Suggs.

"He's phenomenal. He's [in his] 12th year, [but] it looks like it's his third year out there," Brady said. "He's the leader of that defense, he makes great plays. I think there's the play that's called, and then what he actually does. So even though he has a certain responsibility, if he sniffs it out, he takes a shot and goes for it. He may have contain, but he may rip inside and try to make a play in the backfield. He's just a smart player. We've played against him a bunch of times. He takes away a lot of stuff.

"I have a lot of respect for his ability to play the game at a high level. He's phenomenal."

Brady was asked if he's ever amused by some of the comments that Suggs makes, such as his remark this past week that the NFL wants to see a Tom Brady-Peyton Manning showdown in the AFC Championship Game. Brady essentially pleaded ignorance to any of Suggs' comments.

"We've never really talked a lot on the field," Brady said, despite some memorable visual evidence to the contrary. "We've never really talked much off the field either. So, it's the way it goes, but he's a great player."

When speaking with Baltimore reporters via conference call, Brady wouldn't take the bait when asked if he's bothered by Suggs' refusal to reference the quarterback by name.

"You know, I haven't even thought about it," Brady said. "Like I said, he's a great player. He's just someone that we're trying to prepare for and we know that we're going to get his best. I didn't know that, so it doesn't bother me at all. People can call me whatever they want, I don't really care."

When told that Brady had some glowing remarks about him, Suggs reacted with surprise.

"Say what?" responded Suggs, according to ESPN. ""Did they record him? I'd love to see his face [when he said it]."

Chances are, Brady and Suggs will be seeing plenty of each other's faces on Saturday afternoon in Foxboro.

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