Getty Tom Brady, formerly of the New England Patriots, reacts as they take on the Tennessee Titans.
Just because he hasn’t been associated with New England for over three years doesn’t mean his legend has faded in the slightest. Tom Brady‘s work with the New England Patriots for nearly two decades has cemented him as one of the greatest icons in Boston sports history. So it only makes sense that New England’s fellow professional sports teams may pay tribute to the man when they get the chance. The Boston Celtics sure did after they completed their sweep of the Brooklyn Nets on April 25.
Their official Twitter account posted a picture of Al Horford, Grant Williams, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and head coach Ime Udoka huddled together at center court with the simple caption, “laser focused.”
laser focused
The caption seemed to be a reference to Brady, who has used the words “laser focus” as a catchphrase during the NFL’s “Mic’d Up” film segments on the sidelines during his Patriots days.
“Gotta lock in, now. LASER FOCUS!” – Tom Brady
Think he should move on to the next round of #BestMicdUp? 🤔
VOTE HERE ➡️ t.co/SXsPBVHbFG
Because of Brady’s popularity as an athlete, and because the catchphrase is symbolic of his winning mentality, it’s been used in commercials that star Tom Brady, too.
And this isn’t the first time a former Patriots quarterback has been associated with the Celtics in the midst of a playoff run — in May 2018 Drew Bledsoe wore a Terry Rozier jersey to a Celtics game against the Philadelphia 76ers after Rozier referred to then-Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe as Drew Bledsoe.
Patriots Players Congratulate Celtics on Their Playoff Victory
On the same night the Celtics paid tribute to the Patriots’ most iconic player in franchise history, players on New England’s current team expressed their support for the Celtics after they finished off their first-round sweep.
After the Celtics eliminated the Nets, several players on the Patriots roster took to Twitter to cheer Boston on, including running back Damien Harris, defensive tackle Carl Davis and linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.
Get the brooms out! 🧹🧹🧹🧹
☘️☘️BULLY BALL‼️ @celtics
Davis himself even used a GIF of Jaylen Brown making a sweeping motion from back in 2019 when the Celtics swept the Indiana Pacers in the first round to show his support for the Celtics.
Davis, who is currently a free agent, was not on the Patriots when Brown did that, so perhaps he had been a fan before coming to New England.
Nevertheless, it’s always heartwarming to see professional athletes in Boston show support for one another when one succeeds.
Patriots Player Voices Displeasure Over Jayson Tatum Fouling Out
Players arguing with calls is nothing new when it comes to sports. However, seeing a football player openly complain about the calls from non-football referees is not something you see every day. Patriots safety Adrian Phillips did just that after Tatum fouled out of Game 4 on a questionable call.
Refs gotta hold that whistle man
Though the Celtics prevailed anyway, Philips blamed the refs for the Celtics almost losing that game.
@NaithanJones They gotta chill! Almost threw the game!
Times like these go to show that whether they’re playing or spectating, professional athletes never lose their passion when it comes to sports.