Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker Morten Andersen knows a thing or two about having a long, successful NFL career.
Andersen, who played in the league for 25 years from 1982 to 2007, holds the NFL record for regular-season games played (382), and he ranks second in league history in field goals (565) and points scored (2,544).
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When it comes to Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, there’s no one who has outlasted Father Time like him. He spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, won six Super Bowls, and is considered to be the greatest football player in NFL history.
In his first year with the Bucs, Brady finished with 4,633 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions to lead the team to an 11-5 record, and eventually a Super Bowl berth for the first time since 2002. The Bucs will also become the first team to reach the big game in their home stadium.
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Andersen, who is the host of his “Great Dane Nation” podcast presented by VegasInsider.com, says it’s no secret as to why Brady is playing well into his 40s at an MVP level.
“It’s mapped out. It’s an absolute grind, there’s no question about it,” Andersen told Fox News on Thursday. “The key, and you can talk without exception to anybody out there, former players, Pro Football Hall of Famers, gold jackets… What was the key to their success? Longevity. Staying healthy. Very simple. So, as we age, we have to manage our behavior, we have to manage our body, we have to manage the way we train. There’s a number of things that you have to do and adjust when you’re 43 versus when you’re 21. It’s just the nature of the beast.
“I think Brady has found a way to completely transform his body, to maintain his body in elite shape. Supplementation, rest, hydration, diet, training, how he trains, how much he throws, how much he trains and throws in the offseason,” Andersen added.
Andersen said as he got into his older years of playing professional football, he stopped kicking in the offseason between the months of February and June. He didn’t put “foot to ball” until June 1st, and by then he said he was ready to start kicking again.
“From February, March, April to May, I was training in the gym and doing a lot of simulated motor skills and muscle memory stuff,” Andersen said. “I was kicking, but not with a ball. I was doing motion, core training, I was doing dance, and lots of other stuff.
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“I would imagine Brady is doing similar stuff,” Andersen continued. “I don’t think he’s throwing on a daily at all in the offseason. I think he’s doing a variety of other stuff that keeps him healthy. And then when he starts throwing. He starts slowly and builds it up. He’d be an interesting podcast guest, I’d tell you that. I would certainly dive into that with him and how he oils that machine for that long. And how he’s changed.”
Brady and the Bucs will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on Sunday night.
