Just because I'm a Republican does not make me support each politician that claims to be the same. Just because I live in Arizona does not make me love the sun. So, just because I am a New England Patriots fan does not automatically make me a Tom Brady fan.
That's right. I said it.
I am not a fan of our GOAT, TB12, Tom Terrific, Touchdown Tom, Tom Brady. But you best believe, I sure love my Pats.
I have grown up rooting for the boys from Foxborough every Sunday, Monday, and/or Thursday. But when I tell people I am a hardcore Pats fan, I am immediately associated with Tom Brady. And while the man is incredibly talented and has repeatedly broken and set new NFL records, I refuse to cheer for a man that is arrogant and frankly, a cheater.
Yes, the man just successfully secured his fifth Super Bowl ring. A huge feat for a quarterback and honestly, any player in the NFL. And while last Sunday in Houston was an incomparable game, it was not just TB12 that carried the team to victory.
Notable players from the New England defense, thankfully, put us back in the game. And thanks to incredible grabs by our offense, we would have never made that comeback. A comeback that started in Week 1.
Since Brady was suspended for "Deflategate," many others on the team stepped up. Without Garoppolo, Brissett, Hogan, Bennett, Hightower, Lewis, Edelman, Amendola, Long, Ryan, the list goes on, we would have never gone 3-1 those first four weeks.
Everyone in the league counted us out without our star quarterback. But we refused to be defined by one player. Our boys stood up and took things into their own hands. Those first four weeks, was the proudest I had ever been of the Patriots. We went without key players and were still able to hold down the AFC East. That to me, says something.
I am thankful we have Brady as our quarterback. He has incredible talent. However, we are not a team built on one person. That is what defines us as a "team." The New England Patriots could succeed without the future Hall of Famer on the roster. We have the experience with Belichick, McDaniels, and Patricia. We have the drive. We have the talent.
The Patriots have always been a force to reckon with. We never doubt ourselves. When others count us out, we put ourselves in the game. We prove the haters wrong. We are the best team in the NFL. The Patriots are not made of only Tom Brady.
I firmly believe that even long after Tom Brady is no longer playing for NE, the team will shockingly continue to win games and perhaps even Super Bowls. And I will continue to root for the Boston boys until my dying day. Once a fan a team, always a fan of the team. No matter what.
