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.
At some point you have to admit the standard is different. A 41-year-old LeBron James is still being judged like he’s in his prime—like anything short of a championship is somehow a failure.
That logic falls apart fast. If the bar for greatness is “win every year or it doesn’t count,” then no player in history qualifies.
And calling this stretch a “victory lap” misses the reality. This isn’t a farewell tour—it’s sustained excellence at an age where most legends were already done.
Jon Sumrall has every staff member rank Florida's top players on offense and defense to get the best 11 on the field.
“If we got six receivers in the top 11 and no tight ends and we’re playing a lot of 12 personnel, then we’re freaking idiots.”
STORY: https://t.co/wsWnrHI66O
.@QCook323's retelling of having to guard Damian Lillard in his second-ever NBA start is amazing. 😂😭
“Steve’s cussing me out. I’m like, ‘He missed!’ You don’t want a shooter like that to even see that much space. He ran off like 9 straight — I didn’t get back in the game.”
@FanDuel
🚨 BREAKING: The WBA have officially ordered Gervonta Davis vs Kid Austin‼️
Both sides now have 30 days to reach a deal before the deadline on June 22. If an agreement isn’t reached, the fight will head to purse bids.
What stands out to me is how he draws the line on what's acceptable while still keeping things respectful. On top of that, taking a moment to explain the call on the court shows he actually values the player, not just the rulebook. I grew up with refs who'd just blow the whistle, flip possession, and move on-no explanation, no learning moment.
Seeing someone handle it this way is a whole different level. Gotta give credit where it's due-that's a solid approach to officiating. 🏀😃
Former Packers All-Pro DB Jaire Alexander and his mother, TaWanda, were at Rocky River High School Tuesday to give a scholarship from his foundation to Ravens’ senior Nicole Johnson.
Alexander was a former star player at the Mint Hill school.
More to come for @theobserver
Not a portal problem it’s a guidance problem. The portal doesn’t make people jump in… Kids need to stop listening to “agents” who suited up on JV as juniors. It’s okay to play D3 football, it’s okay to play D2 football. It’s okay to play FCS football.