Written by Okay, full disclosure here, even though this is only my second article, I may ruffle some feathers with these next few statements. I am a native New Englander, which means I have a passion for all things related to New England sports, and a significant distaste for a certain professional baseball team from the Bronx. I’ve suffered through the “Curse of the Bambino” with the Red Sox, and rejoiced when they finally won the World Series in 2004, again in 2007 (which has an interesting story to it for another time), once more in 2013 as almost the entire world was feeling Boston Strong, and yet again in 2018 when they went on a tear through Major League Baseball. I remember the Celtics of Bird, Parrish, McHale, Archibald, and Ainge. The Bruins of Borque, Neely, and most recently Chara. I watched as the Patriots lost to the Bears in ’85 (knowing that they were outmatched), and then got to see them become the dynasty that they became after a very late round draft pick from Michigan replaced Drew Bledsoe in 2001 to take the reigns for the next 18 years leading them to nine Super Bowls and six victories.
This is where I want to talk about culture. That late round draft pick, one Thomas Edward Patrick Brady, Jr., is our topic. No, I don’t want to talk about his seven Super Bowl rings, his five Super Bowl MVPs, or any of his other accolades (of which there are many) but I do want to talk about why he left New England for Tampa Bay. When it all comes down to it, most people will say it was about the money, and while he did sign a contract with Tampa for a lot more money than he was making in New England, there’s a bit more to it than just dollar signs.
Brady is revered in New England, akin to Ted Williams, Carl Yastremski, Larry Bird, Bobby Orr, or any number of famous Boston athletes. Many people believed that the combination of Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick were unstoppable. However, there were underlying tensions between the two during Brady’s last season in New England. It became an issue, at times, of varied philosophical differences and a perceived lack of loyalty from the team to Brady. It has also been widely reported that over his time with the Patriots, Brady left anywhere from $60-100 million on the table to make way for the team to bring in other players, all because of his loyalty to the organization. (Gaines, 2020)
The cultural issue here becomes loyalty. If people feel underappreciated, a lack of loyalty, or even a lack of people listening to them, then what is to keep them with that team? Yes, in professional sports, there can be a contract that ties the athlete to the team, but contracts run out, and when they do, that’s oftentimes when those athletes who feel like just another number will move on to a different location. If you are taking care of your people, appreciating them, and showing them that loyalty is a two-way street, they are going to stick around longer. As a coach, if you are not standing up for your players, if you are not showing a level of loyalty to them, why should you expect the same from them? People want to know that their efforts are appreciated and that they are not just another number on a spreadsheet somewhere. Establish a culture where the people around you feel appreciated, listened to, and that the organization they are giving their time and efforts to is as loyal to them as they are to it. The dividends you will reap will be amazing.
References
Gaines, Cork, and Davis, Scott. (2020, March 17). Tom Brady sacrificed at least $60 million in his career helping the Patriots build Super Bowl-winning rosters. Retrieved from Business Insider: https://www.businessinsider.com/tom-brady-contract-discounts-patriots-bargain-2018-7#:~:text=Brady%20made%20%24235.2%20million%20in,as%20much%20as%20%24100%20million.