Overcoming Challenges in Football

Michigan was a really tough experience in terms of my ability, I had to grow up.

I didn't have brothers, I had three sisters, you know, I was the youngest,

I got babied by my mom, I got babied by my dad, I got babied by my sisters.

I go to Michigan, which is a long way from California, it's freezing cold,

I didn't have a jacket when I went there.

And I sit on the bench my first year, you know, and I really had,

I would call it like a lot of self defeating attitudes and behaviors.

I always had an excuse,

I always had, you know, coach, coach doesn't want me in there. Creeping real easy.

Yeah, they're not giving me the opportunity.

And I had a sports psychologist who unfortunately passed away about a year ago,

his name was Greg Harden.

And he started really psychology on me.

And I would go into his office every Tuesday, and he would say,

you know, Tom, I like you,

you know, you work hard, but like, you have a shitty attitude.

How about you

start worrying about what you can control and stop talking about the

other quarterbacks?

Stop talking about the coach is not putting you in How about you take advantage of

the opportunities you get and every time you go in there you bring energy you bring?

Enthusiasm if they give you three reps you do the best with the three you

get Quit bitching about you only

getting three or you going in there with the backup receivers No one cares you

go in there you bring energy you treat practice like it's a

game you go out to that practice field like it's the big house and your plan on how

to say if you throw a touchdown in The two minute and in in practice you celebrate

like it's the game. Hell.

Yeah And I was like,

well, I never approached like that.

And he goes, you're gonna gain a lot of trust and a lot of confidence from

your teammates if you start treating that way because it's gonna improve your play.

Sure enough, my energy started getting way better. I was bringing juice.

I had the right attitude. And then it started to improve.

And my second year, it got way better.

My third year, I competed with Brian Greasy to be the starter.

Brian beat me out. Our team went undefeated, won the national championship.

But I learned a lot. Watched Brian be a great leader.

Then all of a sudden I'm like, fuck, I'm bringing the juice, man, every day.

Boom, I'm bringing that practice.

Yeah, every day. And that's what I did.

And then we actually were, I was pretty good, you know, my fourth and fifth year.

Then I went to the pros.

And again, the pros is like, everyone is like, hey man, it's a good day.

Like, don't cover me on scout team, you know?

And here comes Tom Brady, scout team quarterback.

And I'm trying to like, you know, beat up the defense.

And that really helped me.

Again, that helped me like get better.