The biggest game ofTom Brady’s career almost began with a nap, before winning seven Super Bowls and making incredible playoff runs, Brady found himself sitting through a lengthy pregame ritual for Super Bowl XXXVI.
Not wanting to pace the locker room or calm down himself as most players might, the Patriots’ quarterback opted for a very unexpected choice.
Tom Brady Explains Why He Slept Before His First Super Bowl
Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Founders FFC quarterback Tom Brady (12) during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
According to clips from Hribi posted on July 15, Brady spoke on the podcast Stick to Football about sleeping in front of his locker just before the game against the St. Louis Rams in February 2002
The extended pregame schedule, held months after the September 11 attacks, left players with plenty of unexpected downtime.
“Tom fell asleep in the locker room before his first Super Bowl.”
“Right in front of my locker. There was a long pre-game show because it was the year of 9/11 it was the February after that. It was a long pre-game show. We warmed up early, and I came in and I was like, ‘I’m going to lay down.’ And I fell asleep for a power nap.”
“So I think for all he said in the last 7 and a half hours, he was out the night before.”
Tom Brady confirms he fell asleep in front of his locker before his first Super Bowl
“Tom fell asleep in the locker room before his first Super Bowl.”
“Right in front of my locker. There was a long pre-game show because it was the year of 9/11 it was the February after that. It… pic.twitter.com/FsKtIVZCOm
— Hribi (@Hribson) July 14, 2026
The decision did not hurt his performance. Brady threw for 145 yards, completing 16 out of 27 attempts, and without panic, he brought his team into field goal position with seconds left, allowing Adam Vinatieri to kick the game-winning field goal.
The 20-17 win gave New England its first Super Bowl championship and marked the start of one of the best dynasties in NFL history.
Earlier this week, the 48-year-old commented on Jude Bellingham’s brilliant performance in England’s FIFA World Cup match against Norway. His two-word comment showed his respect to those who step up under pressure no matter what kind of sport they play.
But not every quarterback copes with pressure the same way. The Tennessee Titans’ rookie Cam Ward confessed on Season 3 of Netflix’s documentary called Quarterback, which was released on July 14, that he broke eight NFL-issued tablets during the 2025 season to blow off steam during the games.
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