Ex-teammate shares Tom Brady’s brutal rookie hazing method
Sep 9, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts after defeating the Dallas Cowboys at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports
One popular method of NFL rookie hazing is the team dinner, in which players go out for a meal worth thousands of dollars and stick the rookies with the bill. Tom Brady has apparently made an art form out of this.
New York Jets rookie Garrett Wilson appeared on “The Pivot Podcast” and was warned about the dinner by former NFL players Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark, and Channing Crowder. Taylor, who spent 2009 and 2010 with Brady on the New England Patriots, shared a pretty brutal anecdote about how Brady used to run up the bill during those dinners.
“When I was in New England, the entire team went out on the rookies,” Taylor said. “All I know is that bill comes back like 50, 60 thousand, because Tom would come in there and buy a three, four, five thousand dollar bottle of wine, take one sip, quit it, and say goodnight.”
This sort of rookie hazing is always tough on the pocketbook, but Brady takes it to a new level here. That’s a pretty cold move.
Brady is no stranger to keeping rookies in line. If this story is any indication, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ rookie class might be in for a rude awakening.
