How many Super Bowls had Tom Brady won by age 30?
Tom Brady has had two legendary careers rolled into one. Each of those careers individually would be enough to get him into the Hall of Fame. In fact, his second act might be finer than the first.
Since the 2014 season, he has aged like a fine wine. He has won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He's gotten better with age.
However, focusing on the above makes us forget just how good a young Tom Brady was. He won the Super Bowl in his first year as a starter after replacing Drew Bledsoe in 2001. Before turning 30, he had won three Super Bowls, including back-to-back runs in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.
No quarterback has ever had such an impact at such a young age. Here is a look back at all his Super Bowl wins before he turned 30.
Tom Brady's Super Bowl fest before turning 30
Super Bowl XXXVI
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots' first Super Bowl win. This win came at the end of the 2001 season when Brady had replaced Bledsoe as the starter. They faced the overwhelming favorites, the St. Louis Rams and their "Greatest Show on Turf" offense. But Brady and the Patriots overcame those odds and defeated them 20-17.
For his efforts, Brady also won the Super Bowl MVP award. The defense was key to the win as well, forcing three turnovers. This was the game that launched the legend of Brady and the Patriots dynasty. Brady also became the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He would be eclipsed by Ben Roethlisberger later.
Super Bowl XXXVIII
Two years after their first win, Brady and the Patriots were back in the Super Bowl, facing the Carolina Panthers. In a thrilling display, the Patriots beat the Panthers 32-29, scoring a field goal with just four seconds left.
It saw Brady win the Super Bowl MVP award for the second time in his career. This second Super Bowl officially signified that the first win was not a fluke and that the Patriots and Brady were there to stay.
Super Bowl XXXIX
The Patriots and Tom Brady officially became a dynasty after winning back-to-back Super Bowls. They won this game 24-21 against the Philadelphia Eagles, marking their third victory in four years. Perhaps surprisingly, every single win was only by three points, showing both Brady and the Patriots' ability to win close games.
Brady did not win the Super Bowl MVP as wide receiver Deion Branch took home the award. The defense was also immense as it forced multiple turnovers.
What came immediately after this win was a decade of heartbreak. Even as they remained perennial contenders, the Patriots and Brady could not lift the Lombardi Trophy again for some time. The New York Giants and Eli Manning were famously their nemeses most often in championship games.
This Super Bowl XXXIX win would precipitate a 10-year Lombardi drought for Tom Brady and the Patriots. That itch would finally get scratched against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, which launched the next part of his career in a way.
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Nicolaas Ackermann