The Best of Tom Brady
For 23 seasons, Tom Brady consistently competed at a high level and had an incredible career full of memorable moments. Brady went from being the sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots to arguably the greatest quarterback ever to play. Here are some of his most impressive and memorable moments during his football career.
2000 Orange Bowl Comeback Vs. Alabama
In Brady’s final game at Michigan, Brady overcame two fourteen-point deficits to defeat #5 Alabama in the 2000 Orange Bowl. Brady passed for a career-high 369 yards and four touchdowns. The game went to overtime, the first overtime in BCS history.
2001 Super Bowl Championship Win – First Championship
Drew Bledsoe, the longtime quarterback for the Patriots, suffered a severe injury during the week two matchup with the Jets and wouldn’t play for the remainder of the season. That injury propelled Tom Brady into the spotlight and led to one of the most remarkable seasons for a rookie quarterback. Brady led the Patriots to an 11-4 record to finish the year. The Patriots went on to defeat the Raiders, Steelers, and last, the Rams in the Super Bowl. The Patriots winning the Super Bowl over the Rams was a major upset. St. Louis Rams had a great offense led by quarterback Kurt Warner, running back Marshall Faulk, wide receiver Isaac Bruce and wide receiver Torrey Holt. New England held the explosive offense to just seventeen points. Brady marched down the field with less than two minutes remaining to set up a game-winning field goal by Adam Vinatieri. It was only the beginning of a New England dynasty.
2007 Undefeated Season
Tom Brady dominated the NFL in 2007, leading the Patriots to an undefeated season with a 16-0 record. There hadn’t been an undefeated regular season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who would win the Super Bowl. Brady paired with wide receiver Randy Moss to form an all-time great combination. Brady threw for 4,806 yards to go along with 50 TDs and only 8 INTs. The Patriots got past the Jaguars and Chargers in the playoffs leading to a showdown with the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. However, the Giants pulled off a remarkable upset, winning 17-14 in a game best remembered for David Tyree’s incredible one-handed catch.
Winning Super Bowl XXXVII Vs. Carolina Panthers
With only 1:08 left in the game, Panthers QB Jake Delhomme tied the game with a TD pass to Ricky Proehl to seemingly send the game to overtime. However, 68 seconds proved enough time for Tom Brady to avoid an extra period. Adam Vinatieri won the game following a 41-yard field goal. Super Bowl 38 is one of the most entertaining Super Bowls, featuring a memorable game-winning drive by Tom Brady.
Super Bowl XLIX Win Over Seahawks
Entering the 4th quarter down 24-14, Brady and the Patriots scored 14 points to take a 28-24 lead. Brady tossed two TDs to take the lead in the 4th quarter, and the Patriots stopped the Seahawks near the goal line in the game’s closing seconds when Butler intercepted a pass at the goal line. Remember, when at the goal line and Marshawn Lynch is on the team, run the ball.
Winning NFL MVP At Age 40
For a half-decade, NFL experts had predicted that Brady’s talent would diminish, but Brady proved doubters wrong every year. Performing at a high level entering the age of 40 seasons in any sport is unprecedented in the NFL. Brady led the Patriots to a 13-win season. Brady threw for 4,577 yards and 32TDs. The Patriots would also reach the Super Bowl but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in a great game, 41-33.
Comeback vs. Falcons Super Bowl LI
28-3. The score that haunts Falcons fans will likely forever be a sore subject. New England was done 28-3 midway through the third quarter, and it appeared to be an easy win for the Atlanta Falcons. However, that was not the case with Tom Brady on the field. While the Falcons play calling has been criticized by many, Brady led the Patriots to one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. The Patriots scored 25 unanswered points and won the game in overtime when running back James White scored the winning touchdown.
2017 AFC Title vs. Jaguars
Early into the 4th quarter, the Jaguars had a 20-10 lead. Brady’s top weapon Rob Gronkowski left the game earlier due to a concussion in the first half. Despite losing Gronk, Brady found Danny Amendola for two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to reach another Super Bowl winning the AFC Championship game 24-20.
2018 AFC Title vs. Chiefs
The 2018 AFC Championship game was a battle between the present and the future of the NFL between Brady and Mahomes. Tom Brady squaring off against Patrick Mahomes in the 2018 AFC Championship game led to a back-and-forth contest. Mahomes led the Chiefs to score 24 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime against Brady and the Patriots. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the Patriots won the coin toss, and Brady put together a 13-play drive ending with a touchdown to win the classic battle 37-31.
Final Super Bowl Win vs. Chiefs
The number five-seeded Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated the number one-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Super Bowl LV would be Brady’s final Super Bowl championship. Brady tossed three touchdown passes and once again defeated Patrick Mahomes.
Tom Brady’s career coming to an end marks the end of a dominant career in the NFL. Brady finished his career as a 15x Pro Bowler, 3x All-Pro, 7x Super Bowl Champion, 3x MVP, 5x Super Bowl MVP, and 2x AP Offensive POY. Brady defied the odds of having a successful career well past the typical prime years of an athlete. Football fans will remember Brady’s career as one of the best to ever compete in the NFL despite coming into the NFL as a late-round pick.
