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Tom Brady, often referred to as the 'GOAT' (Greatest of All Time), has had an illustrious career in the National Football League (NFL). Before he was known as the NFL 'GOAT', Tom Brady was a high school student with dreams of making it big.
This term GOAT is not exclusive to Brady and has been used to describe other legendary athletes in their respective sports, such as Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, and Michael Phelps.
Interestingly, it was first associated with Muhammad Ali in 1992 when his wife, Lonnie Ali, incorporated Greatest of All Time, Inc. (G.O.A.T. Inc.) to consolidate and license her husband’s intellectual properties for commercial purposes.
The term became more publicly known in 2000, when rapper and hip-hop artist LL Cool J released his album, “G.O.A.T”, also citing Ali as the inspiration behind the album name.
Early years and college recruitment
Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr., known as Tom Brady, was born on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California. He is the only son and fourth child of Galynn Patricia (née Johnson) and Thomas Brady Sr. Brady was raised as a Catholic. His father is of Irish descent, while his mother has Swedish, Norwegian, German, and Polish ancestry.
From an early age, Brady took great interest in American football. He would often go to Candlestick Park to watch the San Francisco 49ers play. Growing up, Brady idolized veteran quarterback Joe Montana.
Brady’s love for football made him want to pursue a career in the sport. That desire led him to attend football camp, where future NFL quarterback Tony Graziani, taught them the basics of the sport.
In high school, Brady, already armed with considerable skill and experience in American football, was actively involved in sports. He played baseball, basketball, and football during his high school days at Junípero Serra High School.
Despite his impressive stats, Brady didn’t draw any real attention from college football scouts while in high school. So, in an attempt to get into the biggest college possible, Brady spent a lot of time making highlight tapes of himself with his dad, which they sent to prospective schools.
Tom Brady High School stats
Tom Brady attended Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, California. He started as a backup on his high school freshman team. However, the team lacked firepower, offering little on defense and even less on offense. With Brady looking on from the bench, the team went 0-8 as their offense couldn’t score a single touchdown that season.
In his sophomore season, Brady took over as the starter of the junior varsity team. In Game 1 at the wheel, Tom Brady led his first-ever game-winning drive. This was the first glimpse of what would ultimately echo Brady’s name in the halls of football greatness.
Brady took over the starting quarterback position during his junior year and became known for his arm and high levels of football IQ. In his high school career, he threw for 3,514 yards and 33 touchdowns.
As a senior, he threw for 3,692 yards, 40 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while rushing for 332 yards and eight more scores. His two-year varsity stint saw him finish top-five in single-game, single-season, and career passing yards. He was also in the top 5 for career and single-season touchdowns.
Tom Brady's achievements and awards
Tom Brady's achievements and awards are a testament to his exceptional talent, hard work, and dedication to the sport. Here are some of the key highlights of his career:
#1. Super Bowl Victories: Brady has led his teams to a record seven Super Bowl victories (2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021).
#2. Super Bowl MVP: He has been named the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) five times (2002, 2004, 2015, 2017, and 2021).
#3. NFL MVP: Brady has won the National Football League (NFL) Most Valuable Player award three times (2007, 2010, 2017).
#4. Pro Bowl Selections: He has the most Pro Bowl selections with 14 appearances.
#5. All-Pro Selections: Brady has been selected to the All-Pro First Team three times.
#6. NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year: He has won the NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year award twice (2007, 2010).
#7. NFL AP/PFWA Comeback Player of the Year: Brady was named the NFL AP/PFWA Comeback Player of the Year in 2009.
#8. Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year): He won the Bert Bell Award in 2007.
In addition to these awards, Tom Brady holds numerous NFL records. He is the NFL leader in career quarterback wins, quarterback regular season wins, and quarterback playoff wins. He also holds the record for the most career playoff games (41) and has the best all-time playoff record (30-11).
As the NFL’s all-time leader in QB wins, touchdown passes, championships won and Super Bowl MVPs, Tom Brady has long since erased any doubt that he is the greatest in history at football’s most important position.
Moreover, Brady played 22 years in the league, retiring at the age of 44 on Feb 1, 2022. He needed four more years in the league to catch the all-time oldest quarterback in league history, George Blanda, who retired at age 48.
Tom Brady, who has seven NFL championships to his name, recently took part in the 2024 Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament, which was held from February 1 to 4. It’s also reported that he holds membership at Florida’s prestigious Seminole Golf Club.
His career serves as an inspiration for many aspiring football players. Tom Brady’s exceptional career, marked by numerous records and accolades, has earned him the title of the “GOAT” in the NFL.
