Written on Elijah Moore’s bathroom mirror are the names of the five wide receivers who were selected ahead of him in the 2021 NFL Draft, according to a piece published Thursday on The Athletic.
Now, whenever the Jets rookie receiver looks in the mirror, he sees a reflection of himself that several NFL teams couldn’t see.
The names marked on the mirror in dark ink include Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, Kadarius Toney and Rashod Bateman.
“A chip? You could say that,” Moore told The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. “I think I’m the best. God doesn’t make any mistakes, but yeah, I’m going to show them why I should have gone first.”
This sounds similar to the strategy Tom Brady has used to motivate himself while becoming arguably the best quarterback in NFL history.
The Michigan product was picked 199th overall by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL Draft, with six other QBs called before him. Brady memorized the six names and has played with a chip on his shoulder ever since, winning six Super Bowl titles with the Pats and one last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at age 43.
Could this style of affirmation possibly turn Moore into one of the greatest receivers of all time? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but it’s a worthwhile tactic nevertheless.
