Doug Flutie shares how Tom Brady weathered lengthy NFL career as quarterback
The former NFL quarterback says Brady is tough as nails and had injuries people never knew about
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Former Buffalo Bills quarterback Doug Flutie shared how NFL legend Tom Brady was able to perform for 23 seasons as a quarterback for the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced his retirement from the NFL "for good" on Wednesday morning.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}When asked about how Brady, 45, weathered over two decades in the NFL, Flutie said Brady stood in the pocket, stayed tough, took his licks and delivered the football down the field.
Flutie said Brady played with his head and was smart, and applauded him for figuring out protections on the field.
"He put himself in a position not to get hit as much, and when you know what you're doing back there, and Peyton Manning did it too, they change protections, they put their offensive line in the position to be successful, and they get rid of the football," Flutie said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots talks with Tom Brady #12 before the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on November 24, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) (Kathryn Riley)
Following Brady's Feb. 1, 2022, retirement announcement, he unretired to play the following season.
One year to the day, Brady announced his retirement for the second time.
Flutie recalled his own two major concussions with memory loss where he stayed in the game, saying he didn't even remember running the plays.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"You were conditioned. We saw it in Patrick Mahomes, you are conditioned. If you can walk, you're out on the field playing until somebody rips you off that field," he continued. "That's just the mentality of toughness and the way that Tom played the game — he was tough as nails."
Houston, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) jogs off the field after a game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo)
Flutie said Brady had injuries people never knew about.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I played one year with him and he was hiding injuries the whole season and had a phenomenal year," Flutie said.
Brady spent his first 20 seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots, earning six Super Bowl wins with them.