Patriots' Tom Brady talks 'new start' for Michigan

Phoenix — When Tom Brady played at Michigan, he saw the excitement in Ann Arbor when Jim Harbaugh would visit workouts or other team events. Now, Brady is excited for what lies ahead for the Wolverines with Harbaugh as the head coach.

At Super Bowl media day Tuesday, the Patriots quarterback fielded questions on a wide range of topics. Brady's first question was about whether people take him seriously because he's so handsome, and over the course of his hour-long session, credentialed guests asked him about football and other whacky subjects.

Among the earlier questions, though, was about his feelings on the hiring of Harbaugh, another former Michigan quarterback who took the job in December after four years with the San Francisco 49ers.

"It's a new start for Michigan," Brady said at U.S. Airways Center, ahead of Sunday's game against the Seahawks. "I really loved Coach Hoke and what he was able to bring to the program. I think he brought back a lot of the traditional things that made the program so great. Coach Harbaugh has done those things as well.

"He was a great example when I was there. He used to come back, it was always a big thing when he would show up to workouts and stuff."

Of course, Harbaugh's celebrity status in Ann Arbor won't last long if he doesn't lead his team to victories over its chief rival.

"Hopefully we can go beat Ohio State and figure out how to beat those guys," Brady said. "They look pretty tough these days."

The Super Bowl is full of people with ties to Harbaugh. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll coached against Harbaugh for four years in the NFL and three years in college when he was at USC and Harbaugh was at Stanford. Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman and wide receiver Doug Baldwin played for Harbaugh for the Cardinal, too.

Both players, though, have been critical of Harbaugh's in-your-face coaching style since playing for a free-spirited coach like Carroll. Baldwin even said recently, "Go Buckeyes," when asked about Harbaugh, but on Tuesday, he had some nice things to say about his former coach.

"He's going to run the ball, he's going to play stifling defense and he's going to recruit very, very well," Baldwin said.

The wide receiver also offered a life lesson passed down from Harbaugh — "Never doubt yourself."

josh.katzenstein@detroitnews.com

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