Seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady has created an NFL dynasty, one obsessive habit at a time.
Brady’s expectations for his receivers were no different.
Former Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon recently appeared on live television and talked about how obsessive Brady’s training was, saying that during the offseason, the quarterback forced his receivers to move into his house to practice for hours.
โHe made us live with him in the offseason,โ Gordon said.
TOM BRADY REVEALS THE PLAYERS HE WAS ‘AFRAID’ OF GETTING
New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon warms up before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 16, 2018. (Charles LeClair/USA TODAY Sports)
โLike, the train is right here, his wife cooks us food and everything. It would be me, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. We just did the craziest routine, like standing in one spot and catching one specific pass at least 50 times…
Using expletives for emphasis, Gordon praised Brady’s obsession.
โAlex Guerrero, his coach, just holds a gun, like a baseball speedometer that just keeps time if you keep it at 62 mph… And your arms just take a beating… It’s the craziest thing… He’s obsessed, bro. This is the craziest shit. When you see how hard people prepare.โ
ODELL BECKHAM JR. JOINS GIANT TRADE: ‘I NEVER, NEVER WANTED TO QUIT’
Josh Gordon has shared a wild behind-the-scenes story about Tom Brady’s obsessive offseason routine that details life under Brady’s roof. (Photo by Katherine Riley/Getty Images) ((Photo by Katherine Riley/Getty Images))
Josh Gordon remains one of the most fascinating “what if” stories in American sports.
Gifted with a rare combination of size and Olympic speed, his 2013 season with the Browns (1,646 receiving yards in just 14 games) remains one of the greatest displays of raw athletic talent the NFL has ever seen.
However, his prime was derailed by repeated suspensions under the league’s substance abuse policy.
When New England traded Gordon in 2018, it felt like the final roll of the dice for a player who had burned up every remaining ounce of goodwill in the league.
Brady seemed determined to do what few organizations could: surround a talented individual with enough structure to finally put it all together. It almost worked.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick stand together after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2017 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 22, 2017. (Jeff Burke/USA TODAY Sports)
Gordon caught 40 passes for 737 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games that season, displaying the talent that made him a superstar.
But the Demons ultimately won, leading to another disqualification before the Patriots won Super Bowl LIII.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Looking back, it’s hard not to wonder what might have been if Gordon’s natural ability had ever been fully combined with Brady’s obsessive approach to football.
New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon takes the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York on September 29, 2019. (Douglas DeFelice/USA TODAY Sports)
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow on to X: @Alejandroavela
Alejandro Avila is a longtime OutKick writer based in Southern California.