12

by Casey Sherman

  The quarterback later apologized for the outburst and insisted that it was merely an “in the heat of the moment” reaction on his part. Wickersham believed that it was a sign of Brady’s inner turmoil brought on by the team’s treatment of his friend, trainer, and TB12 business partner Guerrero, who, according to Wickersham’s sources, was attempting to undermine the Patriots training staff by pressuring players to adopt his pliability- and resistance-focused training regimen. The one player, according to the article, who was not welcome at the TB12 Therapy Center on the Gillette Stadium campus was Garoppolo, who Wickersham claimed was locked out of the facility in part because Brady wanted his protégé gone.153 Number 12 did not fare well in the ESPN piece, and once again, the palace intrigue at 1 Patriot Place in Foxborough gave sports radio hosts plenty of raw meat to chew on. Armchair quarterbacks turned amateur sleuths collectively deduced that Belichick was the mastermind behind the hit piece on Brady.

  The Patriots managed once again to block out the noise and responded by blowing out the Tennessee Titans in their first playoff game and then pulling out another dramatic come-from-behind win in the AFC championship against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that game, Brady threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns, playing with an injured throwing hand that had required twelve stitches after he received a bloody gash in practice from a collision with a Patriots running back.

  With that win, New England had secured its eighth trip to the Super Bowl in the Brady-Belichick era, and the franchise would have another opportunity to rewrite NFL history. But by this time, Brady was already working on his narrative. He had published a successful self-help book earlier in the season and was now in the process of releasing a series of short documentaries on Facebook Live, called Tom vs Time, that peeled back the curtain on Brady’s intense training practices and his relationship with his wife and children. This rare behind-the-scenes look at his personal life was devoured by fans, the first episode alone receiving 11 million views. But just like everything else in Brady’s life, critical praise was peppered by controversy. Some called the series nothing more than a stylized infomercial for Brady-sponsored health and wellness products. He was even criticized for including his family in the campaign. One part-time talk show host at WEEI radio in Boston, apparently desperate to make a name for himself, went too far with his manufactured outrage by calling Brady’s five-year-old daughter, Vivian, “an annoying little pissant.” The quarterback justifiably took offense at the remark and threatened to cancel his weekly in-season interviews with the station. The story dominated Super Bowl week but did not impact Brady’s preparation for the game. He appeared relaxed and confident throughout the week, and the narrative soon switched back to the quarterback’s pursuit of excellence at an advancing age.

  It was true. Brady was no longer competing against his quarterback rivals for the invisible title of greatest of all time. His late-career success had already placed him ahead of Montana, Marino, Favre, and Manning. Number 12 was now in competition only against aging and the human body, the only undefeated foe in the history of sports.

  Brady proved that he was ready for a fight against the Eagles in Super Bowl LII, producing the greatest championship performance of his storied career. The forty-year-old legend shredded the Eagles defense, passing for a record 505 yards and three touchdowns without an interception.

  Brady and his offense, which featured a productive Rob Gronkowski fresh off concussion protocol, scored thirty-three points against a tough Philadelphia defense and propelled the Patriots into the lead late in the fourth quarter.

  But the New England defense, which had struggled throughout the game without starting cornerback and previous Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler, who was curiously benched before the game, could not protect the lead, giving up big play after big play as they had all game long. Eagles backup quarterback Nick Foles, playing in place of injured starter Carson Wentz, who had been a leading MVP candidate before suffering a season-ending injury when he tore his ACL in early December, showed the poise of a young Brady and brought the Eagles screaming back with a late touchdown pass of his own (he’d also caught one during a controversial play earlier in the game) and put the Super Bowl out of reach, denying Brady his sixth championship ring by a final score of 41–33.

  For his efforts, Foles was awarded game MVP honors and Philadelphia earned its first Super Bowl win in franchise history.

  As Eagle green confetti rained down on the field at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, former Patriot and first-year Eagle Chris Long sought out his dejected former quarterback. “I just came right up to him and said, ‘I never told you how much I appreciate you,’” Long recalled. “He’s given so many people rings.”154

  “They’re all pretty disappointing,” a dejected Brady said during the postgame press conference. “I mean, losing sucks…you show up and you try to win and sometimes you lose and that’s the way it goes.”155

  After the Super Bowl, Brady went underground for several days as he processed the bitter loss and searched for something positive to take from the stunning defeat.

  Nearly a week after the game, the Patriots quarterback reemerged with a healthier outlook on his historic 2017 season and promise for the future.

  “There are many emotions when you come up short of your goal,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “And they are all part of learning and growing in this journey of life. Learning turns everything into a positive. And the number one feeling I have had the past 4 days is gratitude.”156

  Acknowledgments

  We were committed to writing this book fairly and accurately. 12 is as much a story about institutional power and corruption as it is about the game of football. All quotes that appear in this book are real and from published sources or sourced interviews. I am very thankful for the cooperation of Tom Brady, Robert and Jonathan Kraft, Stacey James, and DeMaurice Smith and Heather McPhee of the National Football League Players Association. Without their support, this book could not have been written. I feel the same about all the others who contributed to this work. A big thanks to Julian Edelman, James White, Malcolm Mitchell, and Devin McCourty for sharing your Super Bowl stories with us. I personally reached out to the NFL with a request to interview Roger Goodell and was ignored for weeks before I was eventually denied the opportunity during a call with an NFL executive. However, the commissioner’s thoughts on the matter are presented in the Wells Report and his public comments. Goodell had the chance to present his case more fully but declined our request.

  I also want to acknowledge my coauthor, Dave Wedge. His dedication was invaluable here. I’d like to thank our Hollywood partners, Paul Tamasy and Eric Johnson, who nudged us toward this project, as well as our manager, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, and our attorney, Barry Littman. On the literary side, I offer a big thank-you to our agent, Peter Steinberg at Foundry Literary & Media in Brooklyn, New York, Alex Rice at the same address, and our editor, Phil Marino, and all the great folks at Little, Brown. On the home front, I’d like to thank once again Kristin York for her unwavering love and support; my studious and talented daughters, Isabella and Mia; my parenting partner and rock, Laura Sherman; my dedicated brother Todd and his son, Jack; my uncle Jimmy; my cousins Mark Sullivan and Paul Rapoza; my stepfather Ken Dodd; and my mother, Diane F. Dodd, who was herself battling cancer while I wrote this book. Your strength inspires me. Finally, I’d like to thank my dear friends Corly Cunningham, Tom Cunningham (no relation), Frank Capolino, Marc Lidsky, Kip Diggs, Huffa Eaton, Jeannie McNown, Ross Peterson, Michael Jermyn, Jason Lucas, Rick Meade, Tim Lus, Jonathan Thompson, George Regan, Pete Barry, and Bobby and Ellen Bandera.

  —Casey Sherman

  As I am a lifelong Patriots season-ticket holder and a born-and-bred Bostonian, it’s been an honor to write this book about one of the most sensational roller-coaster rides in Boston sports history. I have had the pleasure of covering the Patriots at Super Bowls, victory parades, and charitable events over the years at the Boston Herald, as well as covering
a variety of news stories involving the team, including the Aaron Hernandez murders, the passing of Myra Kraft, and the construction of Patriot Place at Gillette Stadium, among others.

  Always, the team has been accommodating and professional, and that is a quality that continued with the writing of this book, so I’d like to thank Robert Kraft and Patriots director of communications Stacey James for their assistance and cooperation. I’d also like to thank Mr. Kraft for keeping the team in Foxborough. My dad and I sat in those same metal benches at Schaefer/Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium watching some pretty dreadful teams over the years. But we loved those games, and those early Patriots days are some of the best memories that my dad and I have together. So to the whole Patriots organization, especially all the players past and present, thank you.

  I’d also like to thank the Patriots players and staff, the NFLPA, DeMaurice Smith and Heather McPhee, Luke O’Neil, and the Hogan Patriots Facebook group for making my Sundays hilarious, even when the Patriots lose. Perhaps especially then. I’d also like to thank my colleagues at VICE; my former colleagues at the Herald; my team at State6; the whole Wedge, Cornelius, and Heslam families; all my friends and family from Brockton and Boston College; our editor, Phil Marino, and all at Little, Brown; our agent, Peter Steinberg, and all at Foundry Literary in New York City; our attorney, Barry Littman; my friend Keith Davidson; our entertainment agents at The Gotham Group in Beverly Hills; Phil Gilpin and all at the ITV Fest in Vermont; Kris Meyer; Dick Haley; and especially Casey Sherman for the hard work and collaboration in putting this book together with me. Thank you most of all to my smart, talented, and beautiful wife, Jessica, and my amazing children, Danielle and Jackson. You guys make me so happy.

  —Dave Wedge

  Notes

  Prologue: San Francisco, California, May 19, 2015

  1 Author interview with DeMaurice Smith, 2017.

  Chapter One: A Cold Rain

  2 Author interview with Bob Kravitz, 2017.

  Chapter Two: Storm Fronts

  3 Author interview with Bob Kravitz, 2017.

  4 Author interview with Kirk Minihane, 2017.

  5 The Wells Report.

  Chapter Three: Pressure

  6 Mike Reiss, “Jim Nantz, Phil Simms Discussion Adds Context to Deflated Football Talk,” ESPN.com, January 20, 2015.

  7 Will Brinson, “Brad Johnson Paid $7,500 for Altered Balls in Bucs-Raiders Super Bowl,” CBS Sports.com, January 21, 2015.

  8 Bill Belichick conference call, WEEI Radio, January 19, 2015.

  9 Letter of T. David Gardi to Robert Kraft, January 19, 2015.

  10 Bryan Curtis, “Mr. Goodell Goes to Washington,” Grantland.com, February 4, 2013.

  11 Ibid.

  12 Roger Goodell alumni profile, Washington & Jefferson College.

  13 Glenn Davis, “This Is How the Roger Goodell Era Began,” Sportsgrid.com, October 24, 2012.

  14 Tex Maule, “The NFL Suspends Its Golden Boy,” Sports Illustrated, April 29, 1963.

  15 Mark Maske, “Owners Pick Goodell as NFL Commissioner,” Washington Post, August 9, 2006.

  Chapter Four: The Ultimate Fan

  16 Thomas George, “Kraft a Fan First, Foremost and Forever,” New York Times, January 31, 2002.

  17 Ibid.

  18 Mark Pazniokis and Greg Garber, “The Art of Kraft,” Hartford Courant, December 13, 1998.

  19 “Bob Kraft’s Prequel to the Patriots,” NFL Films Presents, December 21, 2016.

  20 Peter King, “Kraftwork,” Sports Illustrated, February 6, 2012.

  21 Robert Thomas, “Sold! Time to Call Them the New England Permanents,” New York Times, January 22, 1994.

  22 Dan Shaughnessy, “Bill Parcells Reflects on His Patriots Years,” Boston Globe, August 2, 2013.

  23 30 for 30: The Two Bills, dir. Ken Rodgers, ESPN, February 1, 2018.

  24 Ibid.

  25 Ibid.

  Chapter Five: The Underdog

  26 Sanjay Kirpalany, “The College Recruitment of Tom Brady,” Bleacher Report, September 24, 2015.

  27 Mitch Stephens, “Brady Was No Goody Two Shoes at Serra High School,” MaxPreps.com, January 30, 2015.

  28 Dennis O’Donnell, “Former KPIX Producer Looks Back on Dan Fouts Feature on Tom Brady While in High School,” KPIX, February 6, 2017.

  29 “Tom Brady’s High School Posts Local News Interview from 1994,” CBS Boston, July 14, 2017.

  30 Kirpalany, “The College Recruitment of Tom Brady.”

  31 “Year of the Quarterback: The Brady Six,” prod. Mark Durand and James Weiner, ESPN, April 12, 2011.

  32 Michael Rosenberg, “Tom Brady as You Forgot Him,” Sports Illustrated, January 9, 2012.

  33 “Year of the Quarterback: The Brady Six.”

  34 Stephen J. Nesbitt, “Flashback: Teammates Reflect on Tom Brady–Drew Henson Battle,” Michigan Daily, August 31, 2012.

  35 Dave Caldwell, “Tom Brady’s Michigan Days: The Kid Had the Sangfroid to Succeed,” The Guardian, January 26, 2017.

  36 “Illinois Stuns No. 9 Michigan,” CBSnews.com, October 23, 1999.

  37 “2000 Orange Bowl Postgame,” WXYZ-TV, January 1, 2000.

  Chapter Six: Game Changers

  38 30 for 30: The Two Bills, dir. Ken Rodgers, ESPN, February 1, 2018.

  39 Ian O’Connor, “Meet Tom Brady’s First Believer,” ESPN.com, January 16, 2015.

  40 “Tom Brady’s Pre-Draft Scouting Report,” IGN.com, January 24, 2005.

  41 O’Connor, “Meet Tom Brady’s First Believer.”

  42 “Year of the Quarterback: The Brady Six,” prod. Mark Durand and James Weiner, ESPN, April 12, 2011.

  43 Ibid.

  44 O’Connor, “Meet Tom Brady’s First Believer.”

  Chapter Seven: Learning Curve

  45 Author interview with Robert Kraft, 2017.

  46 “Brady Told Kraft ‘I’m the Best Decision This Organization Has Ever Made,’” CBS Boston, January 20, 2012.

  47 Author interview with Jack Mula, 2017.

  48 Mike Freeman, “Belichick Has Patriots’ Ears: Now the Hard Part,” New York Times, July 26, 2000.

  49 Author interview with Chris Eitzmann, 2017.

  50 Author interview with Dave Nugent, 2017.

  51 John Dennis, “Flashback Friday—Interview with Rookie Tom Brady,” Patriots Today, Patriots.com.

  52 Author interview with Damon Huard, 2017.

  53 Dennis, “Flashback Friday—Interview with Rookie Tom Brady.”

  Chapter Eight: Taking Hits

  54 Author interview with Jermaine Wiggins, 2017.

  55 Author interview with Patrick Pass, 2017.

  56 Jeremiah Delgado, “Tom Brady and Drew Bledsoe Reflect on Mo Lewis Hit 15 Years Later,” CBS Boston, September 23, 2016.

  57 Bill Belichick news conference, Foxboro Stadium, September 25, 2001.

  58 Jim Corbett, “Remembering Tom Brady’s First-Ever NFL Start against Peyton Manning,” USA Today, January 17, 2014.

  59 “Bledsoe Cleared for Return,” Patriots.com, November 13, 2001.

  Chapter Nine: It’s Good!

  60 “The Tuck Rule 10 Year Anniversary,” ESPN, January 2012.

  61 Tom Brady’s First Super Bowl Victory, NFL Films.

  62 Mark Farinella, “Coach’s Widow Gets Ring,’’ Sun Chronicle (North Attleboro, Mass.), March 20, 2002.

  Chapter Ten: Legendary Status

  63 Author interview with Kerry Byrne, 2017.

  64 D’Qwell Jackson interview, Barstool Sports Radio, February 1, 2018.

  65 Author interview with DeMaurice Smith, 2017.

  66 Ibid.

  67 Author interview with Michael Curley, 2017.

  Chapter Eleven: “It’s About Honor. It’s About Respect.”

  68 Henry McKenna, “Behind Tom Brady’s Preparation for Super Bowl LI,” Patriots Wire, February 2, 2017.

  69 Robert Kraft news conference, Indianapolis, January 16, 2015.

  70 “Brady Bashing Reaches All-Time High as Ex-Players Slam Tom’s
Take on Deflategate,” Boston.com, January 23, 2015.

  71 Do Your Job: Bill Belichick and the 2014 New England Patriots, NFL Films, 2015.

  Chapter Twelve: Brady’s New Team

  72 Greg A. Bedard, “Pats Sources: Strong Statements by NFL Officials Left Out of Wells Report,” Sports Illustrated, May 11, 2015.

  73 Gabriel Sherman, “The Season from Hell: Inside Roger Goodell’s Ruthless Football Machine,” GQ, January 19, 2015.

  74 Tyler Lauletta, “Roger Goodell’s Contract Demands Reportedly Include $50 Million Per Year and a Private Jet,” BusinessInsider.com, November 13, 2017.

  Chapter Thirteen: Power Play

  75 Author interview with DeMaurice Smith, 2017.

  76 Author interview with Heather McPhee, 2017.

  77 Wells Report Executive Summary, 5.

  78 John Branch, “The Deflategate Scientists Unlock Their Lab,” New York Times, September 21, 2016.

  79 Wells Report Executive Summary, 9.

  80 “Reaction to Wells Report: Colts’ LB Says Brady Cheated,” NFL.com, May 6, 2015.

  81 Austin Ngaruiya, “Tom Brady’s Father Accuses NFL of Framing His Son,” USA Today, May 7, 2015.