FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots went all-out for Tom Brady’s 40th birthday in 2017, setting up a petting zoo with five goats – the number of Super Bowl rings Brady owned at the time – for fans attending the training-camp practice. Last year the Pats kept it a little more traditional, but still brought out a giant cake in the shape of a “12” on Brady’s birthday.
So what happened Saturday when Brady turned 42?
Not much, according to the players. And that’s how Brady prefers it.
“I don’t think he’d want us to do anything,” receiver Phillip Dorsett said. “He’s a real humble dude. His birthday is like another day. We told him happy birthday and that we appreciate him, but at the end of the day he doesn’t really care.”
In the past few years the schedule worked out so that the Pats practiced on Aug. 3, Brady’s birthday. This time they got a breather. The Pats were off Saturday before heading to Detroit on Sunday for joint practices with the Lions.
Some fans wished Brady a happy birthday during Friday’s practice. Late in the session, after Brady completed his final set of 11-on-11 drills, fans sang “Happy Birthday” to him. A few brought posters. One even wore a “42” hat.
“I hope we all appreciate it,” said special teams captain Matthew Slater, who has been with Brady since 2008. “We live in a world where we get so caught up in comparisons and the next guy, and who’s going to be this and who’s doing that. Let’s just enjoy what he’s doing.”
Every year on Aug. 3, quarterback Brian Hoyer is reminded that he’s witnessing greatness.
“You see how passionate he is at 42 years old, how much he loves the game,” Hoyer said. “And I always try to remind him how old he is all the time, too. It’s a good reminder for me to take a jab at him.”
Brady’s cool with the jokes, Hoyer said.
“Tom’s just very humble in every way,” Hoyer said. “I think he kind of just laughs at it. He loves when guys give him a hard time. It really is incredible, the level he plays at, at that age. It’s inspiring.”
Anything Brady does going forward is icing on the cake.
WIDE RECEIVER Josh Gordon filed for reinstatement into the NFL, according a report from The Sports Xchange.
Gordon has been indefinitely suspended since December for multiple violations of the league’s substance-abuse policy. During the offseason, New England applied an original-round tender to Gordon, a restricted free agent. A month later, Gordon signed the 1-year tender, which will keep him with the Patriots for this season, if he’s reinstated.
Gordon worked out privately with Tom Brady days before training camp. “He was around and I needed someone to catch,” said Brady. “I’ve always enjoyed playing with him and obviously hope everything works out for him. I’m hoping the best, certainly.”
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