In  the spring of 2000, the New England Patriots had a 6th round draft selection to make. With an all-pro quarterback already on the roster (Drew Bledsoe) and having reloaded at other positions in their earlier picks, the Patriots were looking to add a backup quarterback. There aren’t usually many high profile quarterback options available on the second day of the draft. The Patriots draft war room set their sights on a 6-foot-4 quarterback out of the University of Michigan named Tom Brady. One scouting report on Tom Brady had this to say:

In the 2000 NFL draft, six quarterbacks were taken ahead of arguably the best quarterback to play in the history of the game. The question is, were the talent evaluators wrong about Tom Brady in 2000? The answer is no, they were exactly right about Tom Brady in 2000. They did, however, fail to consider how the law of marginal gains would apply to this future hall of fame quarterback. They also overlooked two massive traits in Tom Brady. Toughness and Leadership.

A few months prior to the NFL draft each year the league hosts a prestigious scouting event called the NFL Combine. An invite only event, this showcase puts all of the league’s talent evaluators, coaches, and general managers under one roof in Indianapolis to evaluate the specific skill sets of emerging college players seeking to become professionals. 

On a typical year, roughly fifteen draft eligible quarterbacks will be invited to the scouting combine. These quarterbacks are ruthlessly evaluated by the league because their position is so critical to the success of an NFL franchise. They will throw to receivers running routes, their arm strength will be evaluated, their decision making will be assessed and off the field the players will even take a cognitive test called the Wonderlic Test (created by Eldon Wonderlic in 1936) to evaluate their critical thinking skills. 

At the 2000 NFL scouting combine, former University of Michigan Wolverine, Tom Brady was in attendance. His performance (and physique) was underwhelming to say the least. His forty-yard dash time was near a 5.3. Since 2000, of nearly 350 quarterbacks to run the forty-yard dash in the NFL combine, only four have run slower than Tom Brady. At the 2000 NFL combine, Tom Brady had the second slowest forty-yard dash time for quarterbacks, just edging Chris Redman. Had Tom Brady ran the forty-yard dash at this year’s NFL combine, he would have been the slowest quarterback to run by a large margin.

In the passing portion of the combine, Brady’s passes were accurate but there were widespread concerns about his arm strength and release. Many evaluators felt he threw just “okay” in the workout. Compared to other quarterbacks at the combine, Brady was significantly behind that day. 

Brady’s other workouts at the combine did not fare well either. His vertical jump of 24.5 inches put him not quite last, but certainly in the bottom few quarterbacks of the nearly twenty invited. His twenty-yard shuttle time put him right in the median of the group. His best measurement at the combine was his Wonderlic test score of 33 (out of 50). The average is 20.5, putting Brady towards the top of the field.

In all areas of evaluation at the combine, nothing would suggest to scouts and talent evaluators that Brady needed to be drafted. In fact, his scouting combine workout proved in many people’s minds why Brady wasn’t named a starter at the University of Michigan until half way through his senior season.

In the fall of 1999 as Brady was a senior, he split time with a freshman quarterback named Drew Henson. Henson was brand new to college football, yet the coaching staff at Michigan didn’t feel Brady separated himself enough to be named the starting quarterback as a senior over a freshman in Henson. Scouts and talent evaluators did not view this dynamic to be indicators of a future hall of fame quarterback in the making. 

By all metrics, the NFL talent evaluators were correct about Tom Brady in 2000. His inability to win the starting job as college quarterback until late in his final season of play. His inability to showcase physical talent to compete in the highly competitive National Football League. All of the things that matter from a physical standpoint to be a highly successful quarterback in the NFL, Tom Brady lacked. Tom Brady was not equipped to be a top NFL quarterback in the fall of 1999 or early spring of 2000. 

The New England Patriots were accurate in scouting a few key themes in Tom Brady in 2000. The themes listed below proved to be the secrets to Tom Brady’s rise to NFL stardom. These themes can be applied to all emerging leaders on the path.

1.) Toughness is a measurable skill

There may not be quantitative data to measure toughness in leaders but there is certainly qualitative data that can be evaluated. In the career of Tom Brady there is a competitive toughness that was evident from his days in college all the way through his career in the NFL. It is likely this toughness was molded in the daily and weekly starting position battles that Brady was consistently in. Instead of whining and complaining that he wasn’t an outright starter, Brady got better. This process developed the best kind of competitive trait needed for leaders. Toughness. A tough leader has been through the fire, and there is a quiet confidence and toughness that is impossible to not show itself in competitive settings.

2.) The path of marginal gains is the path for leaders

Brady ran the forty-yard dash in 2019 and recorded a 5.17. His time actually was better 19 years after running the same distance in 2000. The mark of an elite leader and performer is the ability to marginally improve in key areas a little bit at a time over decades. We often overestimate the improvement we can make in one year, but drastically underestimate the improvement that can be made in 20 years. The discipline is in the details of getting one percent better in one area, one day at a time. An inexperienced leader wants to make the big splash. A tried and tested leader knows deep down the path of marginal gains is the wise path to be on. It may not be the sexy path, but it gets results.

3.) Leadership makes everyone better, including the leader

The New England Patriots were drawn to the leadership makeup in Tom Brady. They were right in that Tom Brady is one of the sporting world’s best leaders. Brady has been known to lead his team on the path to marginal improvement. Under Brady the New England Patriots have won six super bowls. The Patriots were spot on in assessing the leadership potential of Brady. In his career, Brady has been known to be an exceptional leader of the franchise. He has at times, ruthlessly led his teammates and demanded their very best. In the process, he demanded his own best and has put together a fascinating career of longevity and success. When an organization has elite leaders, and remains on the path of marginal gains everyone gets better, including the top leader.

4.) Successful leaders leverage ego into growth

Was Brady upset about how scouts reviewed his talents and abilities? Certainly! Any time we face criticism it can be a shot to our ego. Brady demonstrates the critically important theme for leaders when our ego is attacked. He leveraged a desire to “prove the doubters wrong” into a daily campaign of discipline and improvement. If a leader is unable to develop the ability to leverage critique and ego into real measurable growth, they will remain stuck fighting ego driven fights against phantom opponents and will spend their days “punching at the wind” instead of improving their skill and putting the law of marginal gains to work. Tom Brady put the law of marginal gains in his favor and is reaping the fruits of that continual decision 20 years later.

Stay The Course,

JB