Aaron Rodgers praises Tom Brady: ‘He’s an outlier, he’s a unicorn’
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers knows what he’s going against this Sunday in New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who at 41 years old remains among the best the league has to offer.
“Tom’s kind of – he’s an outlier, he’s a unicorn,” Rodgers said of Brady’s continued excellence at 41. “There’s not many like him.
“Obviously, what he’s done in making it more public now with his diet and his workout regiment, that kind of sets a blueprint for how it’s done for him. We all have our own ways of taking care of ourselves, but I think it’s a great reminder about how important diet is to your overall performance. That’s one thing that the player in 2018 I think understands a lot more than in 2005 when I got in the league and obviously when he got in years before that. There’s a way to take care of yourself that allows you to be in position to play for as long as you want. Obviously, at quarterback, we’re in a different situation than at running back or lineman where we have the natural opportunity to have longevity based on performance. Tommy’s been able to do what he’s done not just because he takes great care of himself but because he plays at a high level year after year.”
But Rodgers’ appreciation for Brady goes beyond the TB12 Method, dietary restrictions, and working with rubber bands. In fact, Brady’s illustrious ’07 season was one of the first NFL video sessions that truly captivated Rodgers as a young quarterback.
“I had a great guy to watch every single day in Brett Favre, but Tommy’s been at the top of his game for a long, long time,” Rodgers acknowledged. “So, I watched most of the snaps from the ‘07 season and I’ve always been a big fan of his.
“Just the stuff he does on the field is phenomenal and then to see him, as he’s gotten older in his career, continue to reinvent himself year after year and play at a high level every single season, obviously winning the championships, he’s a phenomenal player. But he’s a pioneer as far as taking care of his body and rewriting the longevity books for players of his caliber.”
Concluded Rodgers: “It’s been really impressive to watch, and any time I get a chance when he’s on Thursday night, Sunday night, Monday night, I’m for sure tuning in.”
Fortunately for Rodgers, he won’t have to channel-surf to find Brady this weekend.
