Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rising Star Cyril Grayson Jr. Shares a Motivating Tom Brady Anecdote During His Early Days as a Buc

LSU has shared with the NFL a number of tremendously talented young football players, however, there is an exception while talking about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wideout Cyril Grayson Jr. Even though he is just as talented as any other athlete the rising star was not a part of the football team in LSU. In fact, he ran track.

And it was due to his great speed and balance, that got him in the NFL in 2017. Although he went undrafted that year, he was immediately signed as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks on April 10. However, his journey from being a newbie in the world of football to being one of the best targets for Tom Brady while heading towards the playoff was no moonwalk.

Grayson before committing with the Bucs also gave brief stints with the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints. However, it was his stay at Tampa Bay that made him the polished receiver that he is today. It was the instinct of a great head coach to identify the hidden attributes of Grayson. And for that Bruce Arians has his due credit.

Tom Brady turning Cyril Grayson Jr. into a great wide receiver

However, to play with the best of the best, he had to go through some period of hardcore grind. The receiver recalled that period during his recent press conference; he thanked the GOAT Tom Brady for bringing the best out of him.

“There was a moment last year [where] we were out here at practice,” Grayson recalled. “And to me, it was slippery out there. I slipped down on one and then he [Brady] threw me a ball and it was in the sun. And I was making excuses. I was like, ‘Man, the ground’. He was like, ‘It’s a perfectly laid ground’. Just being hard on me. And then he throws me the ball that’s in the sun and he goes, ‘Hey, I don’t need any excuses. You’re an NFL receiver.'”

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“Then there was a moment where I kind of put my head down. In a way, defeated. Like man, he’s being too hard on me. But then, right after that, he came back and said, ‘The reason I’m so hard on you is because you have this talent. I just want to pull that out of you. I see that in you, and I just want you to see that in yourself.'”

“From that moment, I knew he felt something in me. I knew that all it took was me getting out there every day and him actually being able to throw me the ball to earn that ultimate trust.”

Cyril for Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now headed to their second straight playoff with Tom Brady. But this time Cyril Grayson Jr. is an integral part of the offense. And it has all been possible due to the guidance from the quarterback. Cyril was the wideout who rose to the occasion at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday when the Bucs were shorthanded at the WR spot.

Cyril finished the game covering 81 yards in six receptions for a score with an average of 13.5 yards per carry. The touchdown scored by him was the game-winning touchdown that helped the Bucs seal their 12th win of the season. And as the Bucs head towards the playoffs after a season finale, Cyril remains the main target for Tom Brady.

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