ESPN reporter shares what made Tom Brady even more ‘special’ than Kobe Bryant

Tom Brady is widely recognised as the greatest to ever do it in the NFL having shown a mentality unlike no other.

The 49-year-old has now transitioned into the world of broadcasting, having inked a huge deal with Fox Sports.

Brady made a lot of sacrifices during his career to enjoy the success he did with both the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One ESPN reporter has recalled his first meeting with Brady during his rookie season, which has stuck with him throughout his own career.

Looking back on the success Brady enjoyed, reporter Seth Wickersham has shared what he found different about Brady and the late Kobe Bryant.

What separated Tom Brady from the late great Kobe Bryant

Brady secured himself seven Super Bowl rings during his career and Bryant won five NBA championships during his time in the league.

Make no mistake about it, these are two of the greatest sportsmen to ever live, but Wickersham feels there is something about Brady that makes him even more special.

"Kobe was motivated, but he was different, obviously, because he had the spotlight on him as a first-round pick from the beginning, so he had something to live up to," the ESPN reporter told Rich Eisen.

"Whereas Brady was under the radar for a bit. I think with Brady, it's just the little things he said over the years that you look back on and think, "Those were the clues."

Brady was selected by the Patriots with the 199 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, whereas Bryant was the 13 overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.

"He once said, "Football's always come easy to me." That doesn't mean he never had to work at it, because he obviously worked his tail off, but those are the moments where you realise he had an innate sense of the game and took to it in a special way. In retrospect, you see those little moments as lore or little clues."

Some may argue that this would have only put more pressure on Bryant to perform, given the stock spent to bring him to Charlotte.

However, Brady's sixth-round selection certainly makes for a better success story.