According to Antony Auclair | Tom Brady was “an extraordinary teammate”

Comments have been pouring in from all sides since the official announcement of Tom Brady’s retirement. Antony Auclair, his former Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammate, isn’t surprised to see all the praise the famed quarterback has been receiving since Tuesday, especially from his teammates.

Auclair and Brady played and won a Super Bowl together in the 2020 season. As a tight end, the Quebecer regularly rubbed shoulders with the great number 12. What fascinated Auclair from the moment Brady arrived in Tampa, the legend was true. All the qualities that had been attributed to him during the previous two decades were confirmed, and this, at their first meeting.

“The first time I met him, it was he who came to introduce himself. He called me by my name: “Hello Antony!” He didn’t even know me, he had just arrived and that had marked me, ”explains the Quebecer, freshly returned from Houston.

In the last few days, several words have come up quite regularly to qualify Tom Brady. Leader, champion, captain, hero. Auclair was able to see that these descriptions are in no way futile. He remembers a precise moment when the “Tom Brady effect” really operated.

“In 2020, we lost to the Kansas City Chiefs before our bye week. We had been humiliated. At half-time, Tom made a speech in which he explained that it was unacceptable, that we had to work together, stay together and that we should not point the finger at anyone. Coming back from our break, we were undefeated until the Super Bowl. »

According to Auclair, it was in difficult situations that Brady’s character and true face stood out more. He’s not the kind of captain who shouts or yells to make himself understood. He set an example by his actions, by his exemplary preparation and his military routine. He also knew how to find the right words. The tight end remembers the quarterback always telling the players what they needed to hear.

According to Auclair, the seven-time Super Bowl champion’s greatest achievement is creating strong bonds with the people around him, taking his role as a leader seriously and making all athletes become with whom he played better football players.

“We talk a lot about records and statistics, but he’s a guy who is able to recognize that you have to surround yourself with a good team to be able to win. He relies a lot on his teammates and he trusts them. He understood that no one can do it alone. And we’ll remember that too. He’s an amazing teammate and he made everyone around him feel comfortable and confident. »

Beyond being a football player, Tom Brady was also a popular star. Sometimes having both statuses can hurt performance on the pitch. This was never the case for Tom Brady who was very good at separating the different parts of his life: “Even with the image he shows outside with his TB12 brand, he remains a football player as soon as he walks into the locker room. They are two different things and he does the separation well. On social networks, most of the publications he shares are to shed light on his teammates, so you can see that it is important to him, ”says Auclair.

Between Beaucerons

Antony Auclair, who is from Beauce, was also very happy to learn on Wednesday morning that an athlete from his part of the country, Marie-Philip Poulin, had been named Canada’s flag bearer for the opening ceremony. Beijing Games.

“It’s an incredible moment for her! “, he underlined, playfully.

“She means a lot to the region. Everyone appreciates it. She’s been good and playing at a higher level for a long time. I remember when I was younger, we filled the arenas to watch his games at the Olympic Games. It was amazing for the community. It represents a lot and it is a source of pride not only for Beauce, but also for all Quebecers. »

Back in Houston?

Antony Auclair will officially become a free agent in mid-March, and he hopes to be able to play again with the Houston Texans. The 28-year-old athlete had a good season individually, but the team struggled. Except he knew it would be difficult, given that the organization is rebuilding. But it is also a challenge that stimulates him.

For now, he’s taking things as they come, day by day. He is still recovering from a big season in Houston, after two emotionally charged years. Before deciding on his future, he will wait to see how the process of hiring the new coach at the Texans materializes. The staff is also in reconstruction and he hopes that the team can regain some stability before the start of the next season.