Tom Brady was the subject of a heartfelt post on Instagram from an unlikely source, a member of the Broncos. Denver RB C.J. Anderson took to social media to commend Brady for inspiring him, and reminded the world how far Brady has come.

It’s hard to remember it, but there was a time when nobody knew anything about Tom Brady. A sixth-round pick, Brady was not even a full-time starter in college, splitting time with dual-athlete Drew Henson, who eventually chose baseball before working his way back to football years later. Anderson faced even longer odds, going undrafted before latching on with the Broncos.

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A photo posted by cjandersonrb9 (@cjandersonrb9) on Jan 26, 2016 at 11:57am PST

Anderson had a disappointing season by most measures, but he battled injury for much of it, and came on down the stretch and in the postseason. Including the playoffs, Anderson scored touchdowns in three of his last four games, and saw at least 15 carries in his three most recent tilts.

Brady is so often compared to Anderson’s teammate, Peyton Manning, and Anderson astutely notes how Brady is “hated,” by fans who believe he receives too much superstar treatment. Brady’s been excellent for so long that it does get lost how he came from a place closer to Tony Romo’s beginnings. Manning was one of the most-hyped No. 1 overall picks ever. The accomplishments Manning has achieved are admirable, but not wholly unexpected.

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When Brady first took the field, the few Patriots fans who had even heard of him thought the season was over.

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