"He throws a cup, yells at referees & his coach, he wants to win that badly" - Odell Beckham Jr. once lauded Tom Brady's competitive spirit

Pro football can bring out the rawest of emotions in elite athletes, even ones like Tom Brady, who generally appear calm on the surface. The former New England Patriots quarterback was often seen shouting at refs, players, and coaches, but according to Odell Beckham Jr., it was his competitive spirit that brought out his fiery nature.

In an interview with GQ in July 2019, Beckham acknowledged that Brady cared deeply about the game, which fueled his passion.

“He cares—he wouldn’t still be playing if he didn’t care for the game the way that he does today. He throws a cup, he yells at referees, he yells at his coach. It’s because he cares that much. He wants to win that badly.

“Now, because he has won six Super Bowls, they validate him and say, ‘He’s won six Super Bowls.’ I want to win the same way he wants to win. Whether I hit a kicking net or whether I do whatever, I want to win that badly. I care about winning more than anything.”

Tom Brady is no stranger to fiery outbursts. During Tampa Bay's 20-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in October 2022, Brady was seen ripping into his teammates, primarily the offensive line.

After the game, center Robert Hainsey said it was what he expected from a top quarterback.

The previous month, during the Week 2 game against the New Orleans Saints, Brady shouted at his teammates, threw his helmet and slammed his tablet in frustration.

He has also got into verbal tussles with his coaches. In 2017, Brady was spotted yelling at Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels while walking off the field after a busted play against the Buffalo Bills.

Brady brushed off the incident in the post-game conference, saying it was “just football."

Brady's competitive fire enabled him to lift a record seven Super Bowl titles and win five Super Bowl MVP awards.