Why doesn’t Tom Brady think he’s as big as we all think he is?

Arguably the best signal caller ever to grace an NFL field with his presence, the man in the middle believes it’s his franchise and not he himself that attracts new players to the team.

Is the ‘Tom Brady effect’ a real thing?

No matter what the sport is, it goes without saying that veterans, up and coming players and those in between, want to play alongside the best. With that in mind, how much does the “Tom Brady effect” really come into play when someone is deciding the team they want to sign with? If even we’re talking about any run-of-the-mill QB, it goes without saying that his ability or lack thereof can go a long way towards convincing or dissuading a prospective player from joining the ranks.

Imagine then, what it’s like when a player has the opportunity to play with the GOAT himself. Take a moment to consider that tight end Rob Gronkowski ‘un-retired’ himself in order to play with Brady, Antonio Brown - before he lost the plot - followed TB12 from the New England Patriots to Tampa Bay and here and now we’ve got Julio Jones is who is about to join the Buccaneers. Interestingly, if you ask Brady himself, he believes that it’s not about him, but rather the team itself. “Naturally, I’m an older player, and I’ve been very fortunate to know a lot of guys,” Brady said. “Guys choose this team because of the team, not because of me. We have a great organization, great teammates, and I think people are excited to come join a great group of people, a great group of men.”

Tom Brady is sticking to the narrative

Brady’s apparent humility is not a new tune. Indeed, since his days with the Patriots, the legendary QB has often spoken in terms of “we” and not “me.” The man widely considered to be the GOAT of the NFL has always stuck to the idea that it’s not about him. “It’s never about one person. That isn’t ever what this sport is about. It’s the ultimate team sport. I love playing with players that are professional, players that want to work hard, and players that put the team first,” he said during his days in New England.

For Clarity’s sake: Joining Tom Brady is a shot at a title

While it’s admirable to see TB12 opting for modesty, the reality is this: Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl championships, five Super Bowl MVPs, three NFL MVPs and a vast reservoir of know how when it come to the grid-iron. That’s all to say, that any player who signs up to play with the league’s greatest is immediately in with a legitimate shot at a title. None the less, we’ll allow Brady his belief that he’s not at all a factor in the decision of players who come to a team where he plays. Yet, we find ourselves wondering what he’d say in response to players like former teammate Rob Gronkowski who once directly stated that he’d only play alongside Brady and no other.