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Tom Brady is all about NFL tradition, and one of those traditions is a hazing of rookies that involves an expensive night out that sticks the newly signed teammates with the bill. A recent story from a former New England Patriots running back revealed how Brady would do his part to help drive up the bill.
Former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith tweeted his opinion about the rookie dinner after hearing the interview and credited teammate Anquan Boldin with offering him guidance as he came into the league.
“Rookie dinner are BS! I’m glad I had an OG that realized teaching me to blow money is STUPID! It does not prove you belong on a team. Shoutout to @AnquanBoldin Dudes come into the league with no financial literacy and real problems but folks think 50k dinners are cool! NAH!”
The comments came after New York Jets rookie Garrett Wilson appeared alongside Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark and Channing Crowder on "The Pivot" podcast. When the rookie expressed his excitement about the rookie dinner, the veterans quickly rained on his parade when they explained rookies are stuck with a bill upwards of $50,000 to $75,000. It was Taylor who mentioned Brady and how he played his part.
“When I was in New England, the entire team went out on the rookies. All I know is that bill comes back like 50, 60 thousand, because Tom would come in there and buy a three, four, five thousand dollar bottles of wine, take one sip, quit it and say goodnight.”
When Wilson insisted the team wasn't going to stick him with a 75k bill, the veterans laughed and assured the rookie that he really doesn’t have a choice, especially since he was picked tenth overall and the veterans on the team know he has $20 million guaranteed.
Tom Brady and his taste for expensive wines at rookie dinners is just part of the hazing
With the Brady story out there, Smith made his opinion known, and he has a good point. Rookie NFL players often come into the league after growing up poor and seeing their achievements as a way of pulling their families out of poor or poverty stricken areas, and some have no idea how to handle their newfound fortune.
Of course, someone like Brady, who is worth around a quarter of a billion and whose supermodel wife is worth nearly half a billion, is probably a little out of touch with the struggles some of these rookies have experienced. Anquan Boldin is, indeed, unique in offering Smith his guidance.
