For two decades, Tom Brady gave New Englanders an embarrassment of riches when it came to fond memories and on-field triumphs.
But the legendary signal-caller’s influence also made a sizable impact on one teenager north of the border — one who eventually became a Boston sports legend in his own right.
Speaking on Tuesday in wake of Brady’s official retirement from football, Patrice Bergeron discussed his first true recollection of the Patriots quarterback — noting that the 2001 underdog Patriots squad left a sizable impression on both him and his junior-hockey team up in Quebec.
“It’s funny. When I was 16, playing Midget AAA back home, I think that was the year they won their first Super Bowl with that field goal, (Adam) Vinatieri,” Bergeron said. “It was a last-second thing and I think they were kind of the wild card to win it.
“For us back home, we kind of used that to our advantage as motivation to push ourselves to be our best. We were also in our playoff series, and we were the underdog. We kind of used that sequence or that game to give us some motivation.”
Fast-forward to 2022, and Bergeron — now 36 — still has plenty of appreciation for Brady, who has built the template (and an unfairly high standard) when it comes to a true championship pedigree in this market.
“His competitiveness, first and foremost,” Bergeron said of his top takeaway regarding Brady. “The way that he approached the game, the way that he competed and wanted to win, his will to win was, bar none, the best I’ve seen and witnessed. It was a pleasure to watch for 22 years, an amazing career and a well-deserved retirement.”
While Brady and Bergeron’s careers in Boston overlapped for 16 seasons, it remains to be seen if the B’s captain will follow a similar script in terms of a send-off in 2022.
For Bergeron, Brady’s retirement statement — which focused on the need for full commitment to their sporting craft and the potential drawbacks that come in regards to one’s family — does resonate as he enters this summer with no true plan yet for his future.
But don’t expect for Bergeron to make that decision any time soon.
“It’s always that thing — you want to make sure you’re fully committed to playing the game and playing the game at a high level and the right way,” Bergeron said. “Especially as a leader you want to do that and make sure you’re (competing) to the best of your abilities for your teammates and make sure you create a bond and something to be successful, and to be winning, ultimately.
“That’s what he’s been able to do throughout his career and kudos to him for doing it for such a long time. As far as myself, I’m focused and I’m committed to playing the game.”