"We all deal with different stuff in our life — some more challenging than others — but I'm a leader on this team and I've been a captain for a long time," he said. "You just put those things off the field behind you and come here with a good attitude and show good leadership."

Belichick sees the same old Brady in the huddle and the locker room.

"I think Tom's been Tom," Belichick said. "He's always been a strong leader. He's always been vocal, but not overbearing. He helps the younger players. He talks to the veteran players. There's a good competitive spirit between him and some of the defensive players. I've seen that before, we see it now."

Brady missed the last 15 games in 2008 after tearing knee ligaments. In his first season as a married man in 2009, he started all 16 games and prepared diligently. He's said he'd like to play 10 more years.

"I owe it to the guys in the locker room to really focus on what I need to do for this team," Brady said then, "and put all these emotions aside and kind of come in here with a great sense of determination on what we have to do as a team."

Brady played the final five games last season, including a 33-14 first-round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, with finger and rib injuries. His numbers in four of those games were subpar, but he completed 23 of 26 passes for 267 yards and four touchdowns in the other.

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"I don't look at it as him getting soft, by no means," said New York Jets tackle Damien Woody, who played center for Brady from 2001-03. "I think he's just maturing. When you're young and single, you come into the league and it's all about ball. When you're older, you get a wife, a family, kids, and you have other things going on besides football."

But when he straps on the helmet, it's all football for Brady.

"Look at the season he had last year," Woody said. "I think it was the second-best season of his career or something. A year after he tore his ACL? That's pretty amazing if you look at it. He was still one of the top five quarterbacks last year, a year after having major reconstructive surgery on his knee. If that's not tough, what is?"

Tough enough to serve as an example for the top pick in this year's draft, Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. Brady was a rare bright spot for the Patriots in a 36-35 exhibition loss to St. Louis, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns.

Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo, the coordinator of the Giants defense that sacked Brady five times in the 2008 Super Bowl, told Bradford to pay attention.

"I am glad he was able to be out there and watch one of the really great quarterbacks play," Spagnuolo said. "I told him when he had a chance when he was on the sideline to watch No. 12 (Brady) because he does it right."

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