@scotter810 every time you take the field, step up to the starting line, or enter the competition it's an act of bravery. A mediocre participant always finishes ahead of someone who was afraid to start.
Sorry...high school coach here (not football), so forgive my sermon.
Also, fwiw, there's a kind of bravery in daring to achieve at an elite level that's hard for most of us mere mortals to understand. I don't fault him for calling his team brave, even if he meant it differently than I might.
@scotter810 isn't it? What's the difference between foolhardy and bravery?
It's too bad he suffered those consequences (one of the many reasons I dislike football as a youth sport), but risking that possibility is definitely something many people would call brave.