Tom Brady’s former teammate reveals why legendary quarterback demanded an EMPTY locker alongside his main one during his NFL career

Tom Brady’s locker room at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers training complex was unique because there wasn’t just one cubicle.

Instead, the seven-time Super Bowl winner had two lockers side by side, which, as a former teammate explained, wasn’t just a sign of respect.

Speaking to NBC Sports, retired tight end Kyle Rudolph said Brady had annexed the adjacent vault to house all the collectibles he wanted to autograph for others.

“I would look out there every day and see guys laying out helmets, jerseys, pictures, footballs, anything they wanted Tom to sign,” Rudolph said.

But Rudolph didn’t give the impression that Brady was taking anyone offside by taking the extra time.

Tom Brady had two lockers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers complex, says Kyle Brady (No. 8)

Instead, he was amazed by Brady’s dedication to signing every piece of memorabilia.

“At the end of the day, almost every day, he would sit there and draw everything,” Rudolph said.

Obviously, NFL players rarely have two lockers. Teams have 53 active players on their roster and another 16 on their practice squads, making real estate in facilities quite valuable.

But by giving Brady an extra locker, another player on the team can prevent his own locker from becoming the gathering place for all the helmets, jerseys and cards someone wants the future Hall of Famer to sign.

And Brady’s willingness to sign anything teammates and colleagues left at his locker likely enhanced his reputation within the institution.

Tom Brady signs autographs after New England Patriots training camp at Gillette Stadium

Brady has been accused of sloppy signature writing, which one collector claims has ruined several pieces of memorabilia.

Glenn Gagnon of Glenn’s Stadium Heroes told WBZ-TV that Beckett’s Authentication Services refused to recognize the signature as being from the legendary quarterback, even though he witnessed Brady signing the items.

We brought them in to see if [Beckett] “I would accept that as a Brady signature,” Gagnon said in April. “We got rejection letters. It’s not Brady’s signature, even though he signed it.”

Of course, Brady’s situation in Tampa was nothing compared to what San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds enjoyed in that team’s locker room. As has been reported multiple times over the years, Bonds had four lockers, plus his own television and a leather recliner.