Bucs center Ryan Jensen is one of the toughest offensive lineman in the league. That toughness was highlighted in last year’s playoffs. Jensen injured his ankle during the Bucs’ win over the Eagles in the Wild Card Round. Grimacing in pain, the Pro Bowl center limped off the field. He then spent the defensive series in the blue medical tent before returning and gutting out the rest of the game. He played again the next week when Tampa Bay hosted the Rams in the NFC Divisional Round.

As if anyone needed further proof of Jensen’s ability to handle pain, another example emerged in a recent tweet from former Bucs staff writer and current editor at The Draft Network Carmen Vitali.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and C Ryan Jensen – Photo by: USA Today

Vitali is attending the annual Offensive Line Mastermind Summit in Texas. Each year, offensive linemen from around the league gather to take advice from hall of famers and share their experiences and knowledge. And it was at this summit that Vitali learned and shared another story that only adds to Jensen’s reputation. He tore his hip flexor in last year’s Week 5 game against the Dolphins, but didn’t miss the next game.

With a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Eagles just four days out, Jensen approached quarterback Tom Brady to alerting him of his uncertain status for the game. Brady reportedly wasn’t having that and linked Jensen up with his TB12 trainer Alex Guerrero. Not only was Jensen able to play against Philadelphia, but he had one of his best games of the season.

When Brady decided to unretire in March, one of his first calls was to Jensen. It didn’t take long for the seven-year veteran to re-sign with the Bucs. Signing a three-year, $39 million deal, Jensen returns as the Bucs’ starting center. He’ll have two new faces next to him as he looks to build off of a Pro Bowl season.