'Don’t Call Me a Self-Made Man': Tom Brady Quotes Arnold Schwarzenegger to Detail the Importance of Teamwork

Many have argued that Tom Brady’s success was largely because he had a great team around him for most of his career. From legendary coach Bill Belichick to elite defenses led by Mike Vrabel, and offensive partners like Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, the pieces for success were always in the right place at the right time for the QB.

Brady does, however, deserve credit for fighting his way up from a sixth-round pick to becoming the GOAT. All the while, he never aspired to be the highest-paid player, prioritizing cap space for the team instead. And he has always highlighted the work he has put in to reach where he is now.

However, in a refreshing twist, an utmost display of humility, rather, TB12 has stated that he is who he is today because of the people he had around him. In the latest edition of his weekly newsletter, 199, the seven-time Super Bowl champion reflected on the true foundation of his greatness: Teamwork.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that every great accomplishment I’ve had in my life was the product of teamwork,” Brady wrote. “Whether that team was my family supporting me as a kid, my actual teams at Serra High, Michigan, New England, and Tampa Bay, or my personal team of friends, mentors, and advisers — the success I achieved was never mine alone.”

Then came the quote that summed TB12’s thoughts perfectly: “As Arnold Schwarzenegger would say, you can call me anything you want, just don’t call me a self-made man.”

For the Patriots legend, those words hold weight because they echo his own journey. He wasn’t a No. 1 overall pick or a Michigan superstar. He was the pick No. 199 in the 2000 NFL Draft, and he clawed his way up through relentless preparation while leaning on the people around him. It’s something he banks on even now as a broadcaster and part-owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brady even gave an example of this by reflecting on last week’s Ryder Cup. He drew parallels between golf and football, explaining how both rely on collective energy and trust.

“The teamwork of the Europeans resulted in exceptional, complementary golf and strong camaraderie… And on Sunday, the Americans led the way for each other… each guy gave the guy behind him something to aim at,” wrote the NFL GOAT.

That, Brady argued, is what true teamwork looks like: Knowing where your teammate will be and trusting them completely.

“When teamwork is on point, your teammates know where you’re going to be, and you know where they’re going to be. As a result, you can focus 100% of your energy on your own job instead of worrying about theirs,” he explained, recalling his chemistry with former Patriots teammates Wes Welker and Logan Mankins.

Brady also shed light on the unseen work, the “extra reps” and “extra hour of film,” that define both champions and cultures. “I did everything to 100%. It was an example I wanted to set because it was how I got into the league and how I got my shot as a starter. Eventually, my example became the standard for our team,” he revealed.

But despite all his emphasis on preparation and precision, the Raiders minority owner says the soul of teamwork lies in two pillars: Camaraderie and shared purpose.

“It doesn’t mean you have to be best friends with everyone on your team,” he wrote. “You just have to find common ground and commit to each other 100% on that basis.”

This is perhaps why Brady feels that some of his closest on-field bonds came with players he never hung out with off the field:

“We shared a uniform, a set of values, and a mission. We were bonded. In the trenches of life, when adversity is coming at you with both guns blazing, sometimes that bond is the only thing still holding you together,” added Brady.

For someone often labeled the ‘ultimate competitor’, his reflections are a reminder that even the greatest quarterback of all time doesn’t see his career as a solo act. So call him clutch. Call him obsessed. Call him the GOAT. But as Tom Brady himself said, just don’t call him self-made.