Amid portal era, Tom Brady's Michigan coach recalls warning QB to avoid life's potential 'biggest mistake'

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When future NFL legend Tom Brady was struggling to earn playing time during his first couple of seasons with the Michigan Wolverines, even he likely did not foresee that a rise to stardom was on the horizon.

The quarterback redshirted his first year, only to follow that campaign by throwing just five passes during his extremely limited time on the football field in year two.

At one point, Brady went to Lloyd Carr, the Wolverines' head coach then, and asked if he could be released from the team. At the time, NCAA rules stated that a player who was granted a release could then transfer to a different school. 

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Tom Brady ultimately had a standout career at Michigan. (Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images)

In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, the former coach recalled the warning he gave the quarterback when Brady told him that he wanted out.

"It’ll be the biggest mistake of your life," Carr said he told Brady. "You came here to be the best. You came here because of the great competition. ... If you walk away now, you’ll always wish you had stayed and tried to compete. You’ll always wonder what would have happened if you stayed."

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Carr then advised Brady to mull the decision over by at least sleeping on it. But the coach also made it clear that he would not stand in Brady's way if he truly wanted to leave.

Carr's message appeared to have resonated with the young quarterback, as Brady did ultimately inform him that he wanted to remain in Ann Arbor.

"I’m staying," he said. "And I’m going