Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady built an NFL dynasty one obsessive habit at a time.
For his receivers, Brady’s expectations were no different.
Former Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon recently appeared on a livestream and revealed just how obsessive Brady’s preparation really was, saying the quarterback had his receivers move into his house during the offseason for hours of drills.
“He made us live with him in the offseason,” Gordon said.
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New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon warms up before playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Dec. 16, 2018. (Charles LeClaire/USA TODAY Sports)
“Like train right there, his wife making us food and everything like that. It’d be me, Julian Edelman, and Rob Gronkowski. We would just do the most crazy routine of like standing in one spot and at least 50 times you just catching one specific pass …
Using some expletives for emphasis, Gordon lauded Brady’s obsession.
“Alex Guerrero, his coach, is just holding the gun, like a speedometer for baseball, that was just clocking if it stays at 62 miles per hour… Meanwhile your hands are just f—ing taking a beating… That’s about the craziest st… He’s obsessive, bro. That’s the craziest s–t. When you see how hard people prepare.”
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Josh Gordon shared a wild behind-the-scenes story about Tom Brady’s obsessive offseason routine, and it involved living under Brady’s roof. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images) ((Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images))
Josh Gordon remains one of the most compelling “what-if” stories in American sports.
Blessed with a rare combination of size and Olympic speed, his 2013 season with the Browns — 1,646 receiving yards in just 14 games — remains one of the greatest displays of raw athletic talent the NFL has ever seen.
His prime, however, was derailed by repeated suspensions under the league’s substance abuse policy.
When New England traded for Gordon in 2018, it felt like a final roll of the dice for a player who had burned through every remaining ounce of goodwill in the league.
Brady appeared determined to do what few organizations could: surround the talented wideout with enough structure to finally put it all together. It almost worked.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick stand together after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 22, 2017. (Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports)
Gordon caught 40 passes for 737 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games that season, flashing the talent that made him a superstar.
But the demons ultimately won out, leading to another suspension before the Patriots won Super Bowl LIII.
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Looking back, it’s hard not to wonder what might have been if Gordon’s natural gifts had ever fully meshed with Brady’s obsessive approach to football.
New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon enters the field prior to the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Sept. 29, 2019. (Douglas DeFelice/USA TODAY Sports)
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