Buccaneers' Tom Brady Compares NFL Season to Leaving for Military Deployment

Tom Brady's long career and extensive success have stemmed from his ability to lock in on football once the season begins.

On his Let's Go! podcast (via TMZ Sports), Brady explained the single-minded focus he often has once the games begin:

"I almost look at like a football season like you're going away on deployment for the military. And it's like, 'Man, here I go again.' ... The reality is you can really only be authentic to yourself. Right? Whatever you may say—'Ah, man, I want to, you know, make sure I spend a little more time doing this during the season,' the reality is, is when it comes down to it, your competitiveness takes over and as much as you want to have this playful balance with the work balance, you're going to end up doing exactly what you've always done, which is why you are who you are."

Of course, it's impossible to separate those comments from what's unfolding off the field for Brady.

Page Six's Emily Smith and Sara Nathan reported on Sept. 1 that Brady and his wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, were experiencing some difficulty with their marriage. One source said Brady's decision to end his brief retirement from the NFL was one sore point.

By Oct. 4, Nathan and Smith reported the two parties have hired divorce lawyers and may have reached a point of no return.

Brady's approach has obviously served him well over 23 years in the NFL. He's a seven-time Super Bowl champion and one of the greatest players of all time.

But that success and his incredible longevity may have come at a cost to those around him.