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Imagine a world in which Tom Brady chose baseball over football and decided to pursue a career in Major League Baseball instead of the NFL. As absurd as this sounds, it almost happened.
With the 2021 MLB draft currently in full swing, it's a good time to remember a professional baseball career that never was.
Did Tom Brady Get Drafted in the MLB?
Yes, the seven-time Super Bowl champ was drafted out of high school by the Montreal Expos. Brady, a catcher, was drafted with the 507th pick in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB draft.
At the time of being drafted into Major League Baseball, Brady had also committed to playing quarterback at the University of Michigan. This led to a decision that forever changed the course of football history. Brady stayed committed to Michigan and ditched his pursuit of a Major League Baseball career.
It's easy to look back and say Brady made the obvious choice, but at the time, Brady was coming off a couple of great seasons as a high school catcher. During his senior year, he was named an all-league catcher. Plus, his football career wasn't exactly blossoming. Fortunately, he chose football and has since achieved more success than anyone in the sport's history.
How Would the NFL Look Without Brady?
It's hard to imagine just how different things would look if Brady had pursued a career in baseball. For instance, the Seattle Seahawks would have probably created a dynasty instead of losing to Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLIX.
Patrick Mahomes could have won three straight Super Bowl rings if not for Brady beating him twice in the playoffs - first with the New England Patriots in 2019 and then with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021.
Without Brady, the Atlanta Falcons probably wouldn't have blown a 28-3 lead in a Super Bowl. Would Bill Belichick achieve as much success as he has if Brady had gone off to pursue a career in baseball? We'll never know, but it's something to think about.
Brady is easily the most important player in the history of the NFL. Whether you love him or hate him, there's no denying that he is the G.O.A.T. The league's landscape would have been unimaginably different had Brady chosen to focus on baseball over football after high school.
