Tom Brady reveals the overlooked reason practice squad players never succeed in the NFL
It’s not a lack of talent.
Brady watched it happen for 20 years. The pattern was undeniable.
As soon as a practice squad player got promoted and had to perform under real pressure, they crumbled. It took years for Brady to understand why.
“There’s 53 guys on the active roster and there’s now 15 guys on the practice squad. So there’s 68 players. But those practice squad players are important because if anybody on the active roster gets hurt, they can get elevated to the squad.”
“These scout team receivers would come in and practice with the scout team and they do really well. And I’d be watching. I’m like, ‘Man, we got to get that guy. Let’s get him up on offense. He’s making a lot of plays.’”
“Then all of a sudden, we’re like, ‘Hey man, you’re doing really well. You got to come over here and deal with the pressure of succeeding now that you have expectation.’”
“And these guys are like, they weren’t prepared for it. So whatever we saw in practice against where there was not a lot of pressure, now when they’re put in a situation where there’s an expectation for performance, they’ve never had to personally deal with that and then they fail.”
“And then what I realized was a lot of guys on those practice squads, they don’t want to be elevated to the roster.”
“They’re very happy living this life where they could tell their family and friends, which I have no problem with that. But the reality is a lot of guys don’t want the pressure of dealing with top.”
Twenty years in the league and seven Super Bowl rings later, Brady learned that talent wasn’t the hardest thing to find.
It was people who actually wanted the pressure that comes with being great.
MASTERS HISTORY
Like many major championships @TheMasters wouldn’t be the great tournament that it is without the volunteers.
Every year, I am lucky enough to board up for Masters week in a house owned by Golf Course Superintendents. During the ANWA they wake up at 3:30AM to get ready to mow the fairways of ANGC, to wisp the sand off greens, to make a magical place even more magical.
My favorite stories they tell, are the ones about their first time on that crew. They are all deadly afraid they are going to scalp a green or miss their mowing line.
They are the silent volunteer heroes that wake up early to make sure the scene is set for that day’s drama. They put in 12-15 hour days and come back to the house with the biggest smiles on their faces. A special thanks to the heirs of Old Tom Morris - the golf course superintendents!!!
@TheMasters
We’re only 3 months away from the start of the 126th United States Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills.
It’s a little hard to believe we’ve got a Masters and a PGA Championship at Aronimink between now and then.
Coming off a terrific Players Championship, the next few months promises to be full of outstanding golf.
How far would Tiger Woods have hit it if he had today’s technology during the “Tiger Slam.” We have your answer — and it’s staggering.
Also, trigger warning for the rollback crowd. 😬 https://t.co/DPsWcyTTqg
Myopia Hunt Club - 1898
Herbert Leeds
#54/Top 100
Private
Unabashedly authentic, Myopia Hunt Club truly is a step back in time. Polo fields, the wonderful old clubhouse, the members riding horseback around the course. If a member came from 1898 to today, only the green speeds would shock him.
Host of 4 US Opens, Myopia was always known as difficult. The sloped greens and deep fescue present a challenge despite its 6600 yards from the back tees.
Leeds was a huge fan of match play and believed that was true golf. You will find half par here often. You will also find double par quite easy to find if out of position. He believed you shouldn’t play golf in fear of a big score.
The course has architecture features you just don’t see. Victorian steeplechase vertical hazards, deep narrow bunkers with no escape, green slopes that are over the edge. All these equals one of the most unique golf experiences anywhere.
The turf is amazing, firm and fast. The green speeds are perhaps controversial, multiple greens you simply cannot be above the hole…or below it by much. But this is part of the experience, with multiple plays you get better at knowing where to miss.
The routing is one of the greats. Leeds had to navigate a giant ridge with a huge elevation change and did it wonderfully. It is a place for walking and you only have one big climb.
As a club, it’s truly one of the best clubs you could be a member. An unhurried experienced, there is no such thing as a busy day on the tee sheet. The men’s lounge is another step back in time, full of history and a million stories.
I love Myopia. It gets better with each play and stands as one of the more memorable golf courses anywhere.
The subtle changes Gil Hanse is making improve the course little by little, even though it’s already world class.
One of my favorite walks in golf. A wonderful day with great friends. Doesn’t get much better.
The new leader in the clubhouse for my favorite photo of 2025, courtesy of a gorgeous September sunrise over Southampton.
Nine months until Shinnecock Hills hosts the 126th United States Open Championship. June 18-22, 2026. It’s going to be incredible.
Hate this time of year...hearing of great people and highly qualified supers losing their jobs around the country.
To club board members and leadership teams, your super spends countless hours on the course, sacrifices time with family, and spends sleepless nights thinking about the property. Nobody cares more about the course than they do.
Have a conversation. Learn why things are the way they are. Realize that not all properties are the same. Environments and resources make a difference. A course that does 35,000 rounds with heavy cart traffic isn't going to be the same as the one your buddy is a member at that plays 15,000 rounds with caddies.
Supers...control the narrative. Communicate with your members. Stand on the tee or spend time in the grill room answering questions. They may be difficult conversations during the challenging times, but facing problems head on, discussing the issues and laying out the path forward goes a long way. Getting the facts from you is better than the hearsay and rumors that will circulate around the bar.
Every golf course loses grass sometimes, especially during a tough summer like this one. When it happens, golfers often wonder why, so let’s take a look at some of the usual suspects 👇