Rodney Harrison Makes Bold Statement On Tom Brady Skipping OTAs

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is skipping the OTAs, and Patriots Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison made a statement about it.

Harrison went on Quick Slants the Podcast and talked about several topics. He talked about his time with the Patriots, the meeting with head coach Bill Belichick, and the selection to the Patriots Hall of Fame. When asked about Brady’s decision to skip the voluntary workout this season, Harrison had the perfect answer.

“I think it’s great,” said Harrison. “I think at this point in time in his career, after all the years and all the levels of commitment that he’s shown that if he needs a break and he needs to spend his valuable time (with his family, he should).

“Tom Brady can’t be who Tom Brady is if he’s not at peace with himself. If he’s not spending time with his family, if he’s not making them breakfast, if he’s not waking up and taking them to the beach (he’s losing something) that’s very, very special and those are the things as an older player that you really value because you know you give up so much during the season.”

Brady likes spending more time with his family, and Harrison said it will make him a better player.

“Everybody knows Tom Brady, his work ethic, his level of commitment and you know when he’s not there he’s working his ass off so I think it’s fine,” said Harrison. “I think it’s really smart. When you come into football training camp you gotta forget about wife and kids … at the end of the day you’re down there taking care of business. And if you put your time in as a veteran player at home, you’ll feel much better about yourself doing that.

“You gotta make sure that you clear the distractions so you can go to work and just be you,” he added. “And that’s why I applaud tom Brady because he needs this time with his family. The last thing you want is a 20-year-veteran missing his family. No, no, no. That’s why if I’m a head coach, I’m telling my assistants, ‘You guys if you have kids who have games, you get your butts to those games.’ You don’t want those guys sitting there in their office and they feel like they’re miserable and haven’t spent enough time with their families. Balance is so important. Family as well as football.”