Here is an article from the New York Times on Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel, who had a tremendous 2010 season. Cassel was drafted in the 7th round 2005 by the New England Patriots.when the Patriots picked him up as a free agent. This article talks about how Cassel learned his work ethic and leadership skills from Tom Brady:
Drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round in 2005, Cassel became Brady’s shadow. He arrived at the facility to work out before the first scheduled activity of the day because that is what Brady did. Everything he knows about being a leader, he learned by watching Brady, who won three Super Bowls before Cassel’s arrival.
“He’d always yell at me and say you can’t make the simple mistake,” Cassel recalled, “because how are you going to yell at your receivers, your running backs, your linemen for making simple mistakes if you’re making them?”
Once, Cassel said, he made the simple mistake of forgetting about a noon conference Brady had added to the schedule. When Cassel showed up on time for a 12:15 meeting, Brady glowered.
“He was furious,” Cassel said. “He asked me where I had been at 12 o’clock, and I remember saying: ‘Why didn’t you come get me? Because I was in the building, I was just eating lunch.’ And he said: ‘Because I’m not responsible for you. You have to be accountable for yourself.’ ”
