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FOXBORO, Mass. -- In case you haven't gotten the memo, Tom Brady is a pretty intense guy.

Yet another example of the New England Patriots quarterback's competitive spirit surfaced Tuesday. In a conversation with the Wall Street Journal's Kevin Clark, Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell recalled the harrowing experience of agreeing to play a quick game of catch with Brady.

"We're five yards apart, in the locker room, so I'm thinking this will be some soft-touch stuff," LaFell said. "Then he starts doing his footwork, flicking his hips, just zipping the ball, all in the locker room."

"I'm just looking around saying: 'Why didn't anyone warn me about this?'" LaFell added. "That's when I knew this was a whole different approach."

It makes sense that Brady would take his preparation a step further with an AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs looming Saturday. But Brady insisted Tuesday that type of intensity isn't exactly something new -- for him or his teammates.

"I think they get a full dose of (my intensity) year-round," Brady said. "I would say I'm not the easiest guy to play with. I think there are a lot of high expectations, and I try to put a lot of pressure on everybody to get the best out of us."

Brady's incredible discipline has allowed him to remain an elite quarterback, even as he approaches age 40. And while he can't force his teammates to take such drastic measures as giving up coffee, the 38-year-old QB has placed an emphasis on making sure they're prepared for Saturday.

"I think there are different tools at different times for different players," Brady said. "Some guys may think I'm being really hard on them but I'm not being hard on them at all. I just think ultimately we're all trying to get to the same place and you've got to have different leadership styles with different players."

Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images