One of Tom Brady’s former teammates isn’t buying the 41-year-old’s methods to help his brain become more wired for contact or what the star quarterback is saying about them.
During an appearance on the 98.5 The Sports Hub, former New England Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said Brady’s comments about his training methods “made me throw up in my mouth a little bit.”
Johnson’s comment came in response to remarks Brady made while speaking on Westwood One Radio to Jim Gray in December. Specifically, Johnson took exception to Brady saying his brain is “wired for contact.”
“First of all, I have been doing it a long time, so your body gets used to the hits,” Brady said last month. “The brain understands the position you are putting your body into and my brain is wired for contact. I would say in some ways it is become [immune] to hits.”
While Brady – who went on to mention how pliability treatments help his muscles absorb hits – may have been trying to say he’s trained his brain to let his body know contact is coming, it didn’t come off that way.
At least that’s how Johnson sees it.
“I’ll be honest, and I love Tom, it made me throw up in my mouth a little bit,” Johnson said. “It was very irresponsible for Tom to talk like that. ‘My brain’s wired for contact.’ So, what, Kevin Turner’s wasn’t? Junior Seau’s wasn’t? Justin Strzelczyk’s brain wasn’t? Andre Waters’ brain wasn’t wired for contact? But yours is (wired for contact)? It was very insensitive and I thought irresponsible to talk like that.”
All four players Johnson mentioned suffered numerous concussions during their football careers and were linked to CTE after their deaths.
The Patriots take on the Los Angeles Chargers in New England on Sunday.
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