Tom Brady is universally considered the best quarterback and player in NFL history, earning him the unique distinction as the GOAT. Even with Patrick Mahomes completing superhuman feats prior to his 30th birthday — minus his embarrassing performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59 — Brady still stands head and shoulders above all other players from the league’s rich history.
It wasn’t just his caliber of play on the field that makes him such a luminous figure in the pantheon of the sport, however. According to at least one notable former teammate, Brady was as legendary behind closed doors as he was on the field.
Vince Wilfork Calls Tom Brady ‘One of the Greatest Teammates’
Vince Wilfork was a fixture on the New England Patriots in between their dynastic runs in the early-2000s and late-2010s, winning a Super Bowl with the team in his rookie season (2004) and a decade later in 2014.
The five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle is considered one of the best defensive lineman from his era, and he also played with Brady for his entire 11-year career in New England.
When asked on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast about his time playing alongside Brady, Wilfork was quick to point out that, despite his status as a larger-than-life celebrity outside the game, the legendary quarterback treated everyone as equals inside the locker room.
“He’d never act like one of those boujee quarterbacks. He’s a great teammate and he talked to everybody. I would see Tom — rookies coming in and they would have a jersey — Tom would sit there and sign [autographs]. He would never tell nobody no,” Wilfork explained.
“He don’t care who you are. He don’t care how long you been in the league. It doesn’t matter. He would sit and he would sign for you… A lot of kudos go to him… Tom probably one of the greatest teammates I’ve had.”
Former #Patriots DL Vince Wilfork on Tom Brady as a teammate:
“He’d never act like one of those boujee quarterbacks. He’s a great teammate and he talked to everybody. I would see Tom — rookies coming in and they would have a jersey — Tom would sit there and sign [autographs]. He… pic.twitter.com/TVf6CGWgHO
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) February 16, 2025
Brady, of course, spent 20 seasons with the Patriots, accruing one of the most impressive résumés in the history of professional sports.
The “Golden Boy” won six Super Bowls in New England (and a seventh with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers), compiling 74,571 passing yards on a 63.8% completion rate, while also tallying a 541-179 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
When looking at the entire scope of his career, Brady currently holds all-time NFL records in passing yards (89,214), passing touchdowns (649), games started (333), passing completions (7,753) and attempts (12,050), and game-winning drives (58). As you might expect, he holds the same records for playoff stats as well.
In light of his dominance on the field, it would have been easy and justified for Brady to be a snobby, difficult teammate. According to Wilfork, though, the quarterback ensured his teammates were taken care of and supported.