Tom Brady says he bulked up to absorb hits better in 2019
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
For Tom Brady, pliability has come at the expense of durability.
Following his own TB12 Method for three summers running and playing with a noticeably leaner frame in recent years, Brady has mostly delivered uncommonly great results for a quarterback in his 40’s. But after a 2018 season that saw his overall numbers drop and injuries apparently rise, Brady decided to rebuild some muscle this offseason.
Speaking to reporters for the first time in training camp on Wednesday, Brady admitted that while he feels he can stand to regain some flexibility, he wanted to add strength so he can deal with contact better than a year ago.
“Every year has its different challenges, and I wanted to get a little bigger this year and put on a few more pounds and try to absorb the hits a little bit more, and I worked pretty hard at that,” Brady said. “It was good. I still realized when I got here that I wanted to be a little more fluid, and get back to the fluidity that I’m used to, too.
“There’s a difference between getting really dense and obviously being more pliable, and that’s really what my focus was.”
Jun 5, 2019; Foxborough, MA: New England quarterback Tom Brady grabs the ball during the mandatory minicamp at Gillette Stadium practice field. (Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports)
Brady dealt with a knee injury in the second half of the 2018 season, and that’s only what we know about. The soon-to-be 42-year-old has played through a long list of injuries over his 20-year career. So barring something major, he can be expected to play every week like he always does.
But Brady’s decision to bulk up in the offseason was a tacit admission that he could withstand hits better than he did in 2018. We’ll see if bigger is better once the real games arrive.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
