Lamar Jackson and J.J. McCarthy are set to take the field for the first time in several weeks in Week 9, possibly providing a boost to their respective teams. But if they’re anything like Tom Brady, don’t expect them to light the world up in their first few drives back on the field.
In the most recent edition of “Storytime with Tom,” Brady shared what it was like for him when he returned to action at the start of the 2009 season after essentially missing the entire 2008 season due to an ACL tear.
“It’s going to be emotional,” Brady said of how Jackson and McCarthy might feel this weekend as he related their injuries back his experience. “When you miss games and you see your teammates out there fighting without you, there’s something inside of you as a competitor that wants you to go out there and join the fight with them.
“I had so many jitters in the pregame. It finally took me a quarter to settle into the game.”
Tom Brady on the Mindset Lamar Jackson & J.J. McCarthy Need to Overcome Injury 😤
Brady, who won MVP in his last full season prior to the injury by throwing for a then-record 50 touchdowns in 2007, struggled early on in his first game back from the ACL tear. He only led the Patriots to 10 points in the first half against the Bills, throwing an interception that put his team down 14-10 going into the break.
In typical Brady fashion, though, he was able to lead his team to a comeback victory in the second half. He threw two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, helping the Patriots score 15 points in the final frame as they came back from an 11-point deficit to win.
That game wasn’t one of Brady’s greatest, at least statistically. He threw for 378 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to go with a 97.8 passer rating in that game. But the game was one of Brady’s favorites from his seven-time Super Bowl-winning career.
“We won on a last-minute comeback, and as you could imagine, that was probably one of the most excited I had ever been at the end of a game,” Brady said. “Yeah, it was a relief, but it was so gratifying to fight through this extended time where you’re out and you lead your team to victory.”
Tom Brady led the Patriots to a comeback victory in his first game back from an ACL tear in 2009. (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
So, how did Brady flip the script in that game? Well, he obviously settled in. But there was something that needed to happen for him to feel comfortable, and he’s advising the Ravens and Vikings to do the same thing with Jackson and McCarthy, respectively.
“There’s a great saying for a quarterback — obviously, you want to get him in rhythm — but you want to see one of the shots go through the hoop. Once they go through the hoop, you can gain a little confidence,” Brady said. “How do you get the quarterback to play well early in the game and get a little momentum? Just do some easy throws, screen plays, little short three-step drops, get the ball out of his hands. Don’t make them make these crazy, full-field reads right out of the box. Let them feel the rhythm.
“One thing that’s a disadvantage of sitting out is that the speed of the game is different from practice to game day. So, a getting a quarter or two quarters under your belt before you really start to turn it loose is really important for these quarterbacks that haven’t played in a while.”
It might not take much for the Ravens to get Jackson to feel confident. Prior to his hamstring injury, Jackson was arguably playing at an MVP level, throwing for 869 yards, 10 touchdowns and an interception with an astonishing 130.5 passer rating. He’ll also be going up against a Dolphins team that’s 2-6 on Thursday.
“That team needs him to show up and play his best football down the stretch,” Brady said of Jackson. “He’s already played amazing this year, played incredible last year, but what he’s done this year and have the type of quarterback rating that he’s had and not to win was crazy. It shows that if this team can get healthy and Lamar can play good, [they can make a run]. You never know what can happen in the second half of the season.”
McCarthy, on the other hand, is coming back from an ankle sprain that’s sidelined him for the Vikings’ last five games. The injury occurred during their Week 2 loss to the Falcons and came after McCarthy missed the entirety of his rookie season due to a meniscus tear.
On top of that, McCarthy’s going up against a 5-2 Lions team that’s eighth in total defense. But Minnesota is counting on the 2024 first-round pick to turn its season around as it’s fallen to 3-4 without him.
“J.J. McCarthy, the team has certainly struggled to find their way without him,” Brady said. “They had high expectations for him when they drafted him, but they haven’t worked out. … He had a great college career at Michigan. I’m sure he’s fired to be back at Detroit this weekend.”
Brady will also be back in Michigan on Sunday as he’ll be on the call for that game between the Vikings and Lions in Detroit. A Vikings upset could potentially set the stage for a chaotic battle for the NFC North crown entering the second half of the season.
Regardless of what happens on Sunday, though, Brady has a tip for all players across the league as the wear and tear is starting to add up.
“It’s all about pliability,” Brady said. “I’ll talk about this forever. I literally wrote a book on this. It’s not that hard, check it out!”
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