New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is the greatest example of an NFL player taking advantage of his opportunity.
When Drew Bledsoe got knocked out of a Week 2 game against the New York Jets in the 2001 season, Brady got his chance to lead the Patriots as the starting quarterback. He made the most of it, to say the least, and led the Patriots to an improbable Super Bowl XXXVI triumph later that season.
Fast forward 19 years (and five more Super Bowl titles) and Brady is still the franchise quarterback of the Patriots. He will begin his 17th playoff run as a Patriots player when the defending champs host the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on Saturday night.
ESPN+ recently released a special episode of "Peyton's Places" featuring legendary quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning and Brady had one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports from 2001 through 2015. The Patriots quarterback was a guest on the latest episode of the show, and he revealed an important lesson he tells young players.
The Patriots, under coach Bill Belichick, always have stressed the incredible importance of preparation. No team executes situational football better than the Patriots, and preparation is a huge reason for that success. Being ready when the situation calls is critical, and as Brady notes, you have to be ready for it because another opportunity might never come.