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The name Tom Brady has become synonymous with winning over the last decade or so. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has fashioned one of the most successful NFL careers in the history of the league.
The New England Patriots drafted Tom Brady with the 199th overall pick in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady wasn't expected to amount to much coming out of the University of Michigan.
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Brady featured in just one game for the Patriots in his rookie season. In that game, he completed one pass for six yards.
At the time, the New England Patriots had Drew Bledsoe as their starting quarterback, and Brady was there to add depth. However, during the 2001 season, Bledsoe sustained an injury that allowed Brady to slot in as the starter.
In his second season, Brady started 14 games, completing 63.9% of his passes for 2,843 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He led the New England Patriots to their first Super Bowl championship in 2001, defeating the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI 20-17.
The rise and rise of Tom Brady
Tom Brady was named the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player on the back of 145 passing yards and one touchdown against the Rams. He went on to win six Super Bowls with the Patriots in his 20-year career with the team. However, the biggest test of Tom Brady's career came during the 2020-2021 season when he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
For the first time in his career, Tom Brady donned the colors of another NFL franchise. All eyes were on Brady at the time, with NFL fans reserving their judgment regarding whether Brady was solely responsible for the Patriots' continued success. A number of fans labeled him a system quarterback, one who may be unable to succeed outside of Bill Belichick's system.
That turned out to be wishful thinking from rival fans.
Let's not forget that Tom Brady tested the free agency market in his 40's. Usually, when a player enters free agency after the age of 33, they remain unsigned. Brady, however, was a different story. He was the top free agent and had just about every franchise lobbying for his presence in their locker room.
Bruce Arians developed a relationship with the iconic QB, which ultimately landed Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. In his first year, Tom Brady did what Tom Brady always does: he led his team to the Super Bowl championship, Tampa Bay's first in nearly 18 years.
Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl championship ring and his fifth Super Bowl MVP award, an NFL record in itself. Now entering his 22nd NFL season, Brady has the opportunity to do something that has never been done before in NFL history.
If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl in the 2021-2022 season, Brady will become the first NFL quarterback to win back-to-back Super Bowl championships with two different franchises.
Few can claim to have as iconic and blockbuster a career as Tom Brady has had in the NFL, with more chapters yet to come. As he targets another Super Bowl, here's a look at five of the greatest moments in the career of the NFL's most garlanded quarterback.
#1 2020 NFL season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady took the most significant risk in his career by joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020 NFL off-season. The Buccaneers hadn't made a playoff appearance in nearly 13 years heading into the 2020-2021 season. The franchise had just one Super Bowl championship in its history.
How did the Buccaneers recruit Tom Brady?
The Buccaneers took an interesting approach to recruit the most wanted man in the NFL. Bruce Arians made a near-perfect pitch to the former Patriots QB, telling him that he was the missing piece in the Buccaneers' quest for a Super Bowl.
The one thing Brady wanted to do with his new team was win a Super Bowl to prove the critics wrong, the ones who said he was only a system quarterback. Arians not only pitched a perfect game while recruiting Brady, but he also gave him something that he never had in 20 years with the Patriots.
Bruce Arians wanted to build a relationship with Brady. He didn't want to replicate the Patriots' way, he wanted to do things Brady's way. Arians wanted his QB to have fun in Tampa Bay and proceeded to give him more control over the day-to-day preparations.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers listened to their shiny new QB and allowed him to recruit for the franchise. Brady wanted Rob Gronkowski out of retirement, and the Buccaneers made it happen. He also recruited Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown, fashioning the roster to his liking.
When the Buccaneers allowed Tom Brady to bring the guys he wanted on board, they proved that catering to his needs on the pitch turns water into wine.
The NFL scheduled a dream matchup in Week 1 of the 2020-2021 season when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers met Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints.
Tom Brady versus Drew Brees was a matchup that every NFL fan wanted to see, considering the two QBs belong in the top tier of the quarterback position. Unfortunately, the Bucs didn't fare well in Week 1, and the Saints dominated. At times, Tom Brady looked like a deer in the headlights and struggled against the Saints' defense.
That deer-in-the-headlights look on Tom Brady's face in Week 1 was the last time the NFL saw that look for the 2020-2021 season. Brady led the Buccaneers to an 11-5 record and three road playoff game victories.
Tom Brady's 2020-2021 stats with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Completions: 401
- Attempts: 610
- Completion percentage: 65.7%
- Passing yards: 4,633 yards
- Touchdowns: 40
- Interceptions: 12
Tom Brady will now enter the 2021-2022 season with two goals on his list. Goal number one: beat Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. Goal number two: become the first NFL QB to win back-to-back Super Bowls with two franchises.
#2 The 2007 NFL season
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots came within one game of capping off a perfect NFL season in 2007. Brady had his best season as the New England Patriots' quarterback when he threw 50 touchdown passes in 2007. The Patriots played in three games that were decided by seven points or less in the regular season.
Tom Brady had the best deep-threat wide receiver in Randy Moss on his offense during the 2007 season, and it paid off. Moss caught 98 passes from Brady for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns. The WR accounted for almost half of the touchdowns Tom Brady threw in 2007.
During the 2007 season, Tom Brady threw two or more touchdowns in 14 out of 16 regular-season games. Brady also had three games where he threw five or more touchdowns. In addition, the Patriots' offense scored 30-plus points in 12 of their 16 regular-season games in 2007.
Tom Brady brought home the 2007 NFL MVP award, the 2007 Bert Bell award, and the 2007 AP Offensive Player of the Year award for the Patriots, posting a 16-0 regular-season record.
Brady led the NFL in five statistical categories during his dominant 2007 season. He led the league in completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, touchdown percentage, and average passing yards per game.
Unfortunately, the New England Patriots faltered at the finish line that season after they fell to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
Week 16 of the 2007 season, the Patriots met the Giants in New York and eked out a three-point victory, with the final scoreboard reading 38-35. The New York Giants returned that favor later on, ending the Patriots' 18-game winning streak with a 17-14 win in the Super Bowl.
Tom Brady's 2007 season stats
Even though Tom Brady's 2007 didn't end the way he wanted, his stats were out of this world. Passing for 50 touchdowns in a single season is, after all, something only a few quarterbacks have accomplished.
Tom Brady's 2007 season stats
- Completions: 398
- Attempts: 578
- Completion percentage: 68.9%
- Passing yards: 4,806 yards
- Touchdowns: 50
- Interceptions: 8
Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to a perfect regular season but fell short of finishing it off in an ideal 19-0. New England finished the 2007 season with an 18-1 record.
#3 Super Bowl XXXVI victory over the Rams
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots entered Super Bowl XXVI as the underdogs (-14) against Kurt Warner and the St. Louis Rams. Warner and the Rams were referred to as "the greatest show on turf" at the time.
How did Tom Brady lead the New England Patriots to a win at Super Bowl XXXVI?
New England Patriots starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe suffered a blood vessel issue during their Week 2 loss to the New York Jets. New England then decided to start Tom Brady in the home game against the Colts in Week 3. Little did the Patriots know that Tom Brady would be a diamond in the rough and grasp the starting role with both hands for two decades.
Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to a victory over the Indianapolis Colts in his very first start. The Patriots defeated the Colts 44-13. Brady's stats didn't match up with the scoreboard, but he was the starting quarterback pulling the strings.
Brady led the New England Patriots to an 11-3 record that year.
The regular season was just the beginning, though. A deep playoff run all but cemented his status as one to watch out for. The Patriots pulled off a great win against the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round of the playoffs and had the Pittsburgh Steelers in their sights in the AFC Championship game.
The New England Patriots continued their success with Brady as the starter with a monumental victory over the Steelers on the road. With the win over the Steelers, the Patriots headed to the Super Bowl to take on the St. Louis Rams. St. Louis had one of the best offenses in the NFL that year, and was heavily favored in Super Bowl XXXVI.
Tom Brady proved his worth during Super Bowl XXXVI. The Patriots also learned that Brady plays his best football when his back is against the wall. He may not have had a massive game during Super Bowl XXXVI, but he did enough to eke out a win.
Super Bowl XXXVI marked the beginning of a long chapter of continued success in New England. It was Brady's and the franchise's first Super Bowl championship and he also picked up his first Super Bowl MVP award.
#4 Becoming the winningest QB in NFL history
Tom Brady cemented his name in the record books during the 2016 regular season. The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams to give Tom Brady his 201st victory as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
After surpassing Peyton Manning as the winningest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady had this to say about his milestone.
"It's always been about winning, and I've been very fortunate to be on a lot of great teams. I'm just really grateful."
Brady's former teammate LeGarrette Blount commented on Brady's massive accomplishment, saying he doesn't believe anyone will ever top Brady's win tally. Then-LA Rams QB Jared Goff also commented on the feat, noting that he made it a point to watch Brady's first drive and congratulated the iconic QB on the achievement after the game.
Tom Brady carried the momentum from his 201st win to a Super Bowl championship
After becoming the winningest quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to four straight wins. New England finished the 2016 season with a 14-2 record. Tom Brady and the Patriots then had a meeting with the Houston Texans in the divisional playoff round.
New England handled the Texans, won their home playoff game 34-16, and headed back to the AFC Championship. The Patriots were then slated to face the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pittsburgh didn't put up much of a fight against the New England Patriots. Brady and company put together another dominant performance, defeating the Steelers 36-17.
Tom Brady led the Patriots to yet another Super Bowl championship after that win and made the best comeback in Super Bowl history against the Falcons. The Patriots battled back from 25 points down to beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Brady was, naturally, named the Super Bowl MVP.
Tom Brady still leads all quarterbacks in wins with 230 victories heading into the 2021 season. Brady has often mentioned that he wants to play well into his 40s and possibly until he's 50. The Tampa Bay superstar could reach 300 career wins if he wins ten games a season over the next seven years.
Even if Brady plays three more seasons and ends his career with 260-270 career wins, future NFL quarterbacks will be hard-pressed to break that record.
#5 New England Patriots win back-to-back Super Bowls
There's leaving a legacy, and then there's leaving a back-to-back Super Bowl legacy, which Tom Brady and the New England Patriots did in 2003 and 2004.
The Patriots finished the 2003 season with a 14-2 record, winning 12 straight games after their Week 4 loss to the Washington Redskins. The Patriots took that 12-game winning streak and pushed it to 15 after defeating the Carolina Panthers in the Super Bowl.
Tom Brady was named Super Bowl MVP after the win. Brady threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns, and led a game-winning drive that was capped off by a 41-yard game-winning field by Adam Vinatieri.
Tom Brady leads the Patriots back to the Super Bowl in 2004-2005
New England didn't lose a single game until Week 8 of the 2004 season. For the second straight year, the Patriots finished the regular season with a 14-2 record and were utterly dominant in the divisional round.
New England held the Indianapolis Colts to just three points in the AFC Divisional round. The Patriots went on to win the AFC Championship, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 41-27.
Back-to-back Super Bowl appearances are one thing. Winning consecutive Super Bowls is quite another, as the Kansas City Chiefs will testify.
Having led the Patriots to back-to-back Super Bowls, Brady decided to take his game to another level in the quest to win his third Super Bowl ring in four seasons. The New England Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl that season to cap off back-to-back Super Bowl championship seasons.
Brady had a stellar performance against the Eagles, throwing for 236 yards and two touchdowns. The key to the Patriots' victory was that their QB was only sacked twice in the Super Bowl.
Brady didn't win the Super Bowl MVP against the Philadelphia Eagles but he did play a part in Deon Branch being crowned the MVP. Branch caught 11 passes from Tom Brady for 133 receiving yards that game.
The game's most garlanded quarterback now has another chance to go back-to-back, this time in different colors.
If Brady wins the Super Bowl in the 2021-2022 season, he will stand tall as the only QB to win consecutive Super Bowls with two franchises. If anyone can, it's ...
