Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American former professional footballquarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and was a central contributor to the franchise's dynasty from 2001 to 2019. In his final three seasons, he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time.[3]
After playing college football for the Michigan Wolverines, Brady was selected 199th overall by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft, later earning him a reputation as the NFL's biggest draft steal.[4][5][6] He became the starting quarterback during his second season, which saw the Patriots win their first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXVI. As the team's primary starter for18 seasons,[a] Brady led the Patriots to17 division titles (including11 consecutive from 2009 to 2019),13 AFC Championship Games (including eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018), nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowl titles, all NFL records for a player and franchise.[b] He joined the Buccaneers in 2020 and won Super Bowl LV, extending his individual records to10 Super Bowl appearances and seven victories.[9] Since 2024, Brady is the lead color commentator for the NFL on Fox, teaming with play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.[10][11]
Brady holds many major quarterback records, including most career passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, and games started. He is the NFL leader in career quarterback wins, quarterback regular season wins, quarterback playoff wins, and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, and the only Super Bowl MVP for two different franchises. Additional accolades held by Brady include the most Pro Bowl selections and the first unanimous NFL MVP. The only quarterback to win a Super Bowl in three separate decades, Brady is also noted for the longevity of his success. He was the oldest NFL MVP at age40, the oldest Super Bowl MVP at age43, and the oldest quarterback selected to the Pro Bowl at age44.[12][13] Brady is the only NFL quarterback named to two all-decade teams (2000s and 2010s)[14] and was unanimously named to the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team in 2019.
Early life
Brady was born in San Mateo, California, on August 3, 1977, the only son and fourth child of Galynn Patricia (néeJohnson) and Thomas Brady Sr.[15] Brady was raised as a Catholic. His father is of Irish descent, while his mother has Swedish, Norwegian, German, and Polish ancestry.[16][17]
Brady attended Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, where he graduated in 1995.[22] He played football, basketball, and baseball in high school. He played against Bellarmine College Preparatory rival Pat Burrell in both football and baseball.[23] Brady began his football career as the backup quarterback on the Padres junior varsity team. At first, Brady was not good enough to start on the 0–8 junior varsity team, which had not scored a touchdown all year.[24] Brady ascended to the starting position when the starting quarterback was injured. He became the varsity starter in his junior year and held the position until he graduated.[25] By Brady's senior year, he was striving to be noticed by college coaches. He created highlight tapes and sent them to schools he considered attending.[26] This led to strong interest from many football programs.
The process of recruiting was much different during Brady's time when athletes' rankings were not as prominent. In terms of recruiting in the 2000s, Brady would have been considered a three or four-star recruit.[27] He was a highly rated prospect.[28] Brady was also on Blue Chip Illustrated as well as a Prep Football Report All-American selection.[29] After his recruiting process, he narrowed his list to five schools.[30] "Probably the ones that we did hear from and ultimately pared the list to were Cal–Berkeley, UCLA, USC, Michigan and Illinois," his father said.[30] As a Cal-Berkeley fan, his father hoped that Brady would attend the nearby school, where Brady was a silent commit, and that he would be able to watch his son play.[31][32]
Brady was also known as a great baseball player in high school.[33] He was a left-handed-batting catcher with power. His skills impressed MLB scouts, and he was drafted in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos,[24][34] after the team brought Brady to Candlestick Park to work out with players, a very unusual decision.[35] The Expos projected Brady as a potential All-Star, with then-GM Kevin Malone claiming that he had the potential to be "one of the greatest catchers ever".[36] The team offered him money typical of that offered to a late second-round or early third-round pick,[37] but Brady was recruited by Michigan football assistant Bill Harris, signing to play for the University of Michigan in 1995.[30][38] Brady would become the last active athlete drafted by the Expos.[39] He finished his high school football career by completing 236 of 447 passes for 3,702 yards and31 touchdowns.[40] Brady also won All-State and All-Far West honors and the team's Most Valuable Player Award.[41]
During summer 1998 and 1999, Brady was an intern at Merrill Lynch.[42] He was inducted into the Junípero Serra High School Hall of Fame in 2003.[41] When Brady visited the school in 2012, two weeks after Super Bowl XLVI, administrators announced that they named the football stadium Brady Family Stadium.[43]
Brady played college football at the University of Michigan for the Wolverines from 1995 to 1999.[44][45] After redshirting in 1995,[46] Brady spent the next two years as a backup quarterback, while teammate and future NFL quarterback Brian Griese led the 1997 Wolverines to an undefeated season, which was capped by a victory in the Rose Bowl and a share of the national championship.[47] When he initially enrolled at Michigan, Brady was seventh on the depth chart, and struggled to get playing time.[48] At one point, Brady hired a sports psychologist to help him cope with frustration and anxiety; he even considered transferring to the University of California, Berkeley.[49][50] He worked closely with assistant athletic director Greg Harden, who met with Brady every week to build his confidence and to maximize his performance.[51] Brady told 60 Minutes in 2014: "He will always be somebody I rely on for sound advice and mentorship. He has helped me with my own personal struggles in both athletics and in life. Greg really pushed me in a direction that I wasn't sure I could go."[52]
On September 28, 1996, Brady appeared in his first collegiate game after Michigan was up 35–3 against UCLA late in the fourth quarter. His first-ever pass attempt was intercepted by Phillip Ward and returned for a 42-yard touchdown.[53]
Under Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr, Brady battled for the starting job with Drew Henson[45] and ultimately started every game in the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Brady was All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention both seasons and was the team captain in his senior year.[54]
During his first full year as the starter, he set new Michigan records for most pass attempts and completions in a season, for a total of 214.[55] He set a school record for completions in a 31–16 loss against Ohio State in 1998, a season in which Michigan shared the Big Ten title.[56] Brady capped that season with a 45–31 win over Arkansas in the Citrus Bowl.[57]
In the 1999 season, Brady had to once again hold off Henson for the starting job. The two players platooned during the season's first seven games, with Brady playing the first quarter, Henson the second, and Carr then deciding upon a quarterback for the second half. The 1999 Michigan Wolverines started with a 5–0 record, including a 26–22 win over Notre Dame, and a road win against eventual powerhouse Wisconsin.[58] Against Michigan State, Brady was not chosen to play the second half; however, after being reinserted into the game with Michigan down by17 points, he nearly led Michigan all the way back before losing 34–31.[59] After a 300-yard passing game the following week, Carr went exclusively with Brady for the remainder of the season. On October 30 against Indiana, Brady played the entire game for the first time in the season and threw for 226 yards, his fifth straight game throwing for 200 yards, to lead Michigan out of a close game, which ended in a 34–31 win.[60] Against Penn State, Brady led Michigan to another 4th-quarter comeback in a 31–27 win, heading into the regular season's final game as winners of three straight.[61]
Michigan concluded the regular season against Ohio State; this was a dramatic game with a trip to the Orange Bowl on the line. With five minutes left, tied 17–17, Brady led Michigan to the winning score.[62] He led Michigan to an overtime win in the Orange Bowl over Alabama, throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns, leading the team back from a pair of 14-point deficits in regulation (14–0 in the first half, and 28–14 in the second). He threw the game-winning score on a bootleg play to tight end Shawn Thompson. Michigan won the game when Alabama missed an extra point following its touchdown.[63]
In the two seasons that Brady started at Michigan, he posted a 20–5 record, including wins at the 1999 Citrus Bowl and the 2000 Orange Bowl. Brady finished his career ranking third in Michigan history with 710 attempts and 442 completions, fourth with 5,351 yards and 62.3 completion percentage, and fifth with 35 touchdown passes.[41][64] He graduated from Michigan in December 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies.[65]
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Brady's success as a passer has been attributed to his work ethic, competitive spirit, pocket awareness, and intelligence.[66][67] Brady started 381 games (333 regular season, 48 playoff)[8] in23 seasons, the most for an NFL quarterback. His first20 seasons were with the Patriots, which is the most for an NFL quarterback with one franchise. He served as the primary starter in21 of his seasons, holding a backup role during his rookie campaign and missing nearly all the 2008 season due to injury.[68] The 2008 season marks the only time Brady did not start because of injury. During his21 seasons as the primary starter, he missed the playoffs only once (in 2002) and had only one losing season (in 2022). Throughout his 23 seasons in the NFL, Brady never played a snap where his team was mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.[69] With the Patriots, Brady led the team to17 AFC East titles. He led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 to a wild card berth, the only time his team did not make the playoffs as a division winner, and NFC South titles the following two seasons.[70]
Brady during the 2009 preseason
The winningest quarterback in NFL history, Brady won 251 regular season games and35 postseason games for a combined 286 wins.[71] Brady holds a .754 winning percentage, which is the highest among NFL quarterbacks who have started 100 games. He is the only NFL quarterback to win 200 regular season games and his35 postseason victories are more than twice those of any other quarterback. Brady is the only NFL quarterback to win all16 regular season games (2007).[72] In 2021, Brady became one of four quarterbacks to defeat all32 NFL teams.[c] Brady has the most Pro Bowl selections in NFL history at15 and was named league MVP three times in 2007, 2010 and 2017.[73][74] His 2010 MVP was awarded in a unanimous decision; the first time this distinction was achieved.[75] Brady was named Male Athlete of the Year in 2007.[76] He is one of only three players to win multiple NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards.[d][77][78]
Brady's 21 seasons as the primary starter led to seven Super Bowl titles, the most of any player and more than any NFL franchise.[79] Overall, he appeared in a record10 Super Bowls; just under half of the seasons in which he was the primary starter and more than any NFL franchise other than the Patriots. He and Peyton Manning are the only starting quarterbacks to win the Super Bowl for more than one franchise, with Brady winning six for the Patriots and one for the Buccaneers. In his seven victories, Brady set the record for Super Bowl MVP awards with five.[80] Having earned Super Bowl MVP honors with both New England and Tampa Bay, Brady is the only player to win the award with multiple franchises.[81]
Holding nearly every major quarterback record, Brady is the career, regular season, and playoff NFL leader in passing yards, attempts, and touchdown passes. He is the only NFL quarterback to have 600 passing touchdowns in the regular season. Brady holds career and postseason records for completions.[82][83][84] In his 333 career starts, he is the only NFL quarterback to have three separate streaks of consecutive starts of over 100 games. Brady's 111 consecutive starts from 2001 to 2008 ended because of his injury, and his 112 consecutive starts from 2009 to 2016 ended after he was suspended.[41] For the remainder of his career, Brady had 110 consecutive starts from 2016 to 2022. His longevity led to him setting age records. Brady is the NFL's oldest quarterback to be named to the Pro Bowl (age44), be named Super Bowl MVP (age43), win a Super Bowl as the starting quarterback (age43), and be named league MVP (age40).[85][86] Up until his retirement, he was the last player drafted before 2004 on an NFL roster.[87][88][89][90]
On the Patriots, Brady and head coach Bill Belichick formed the NFL's most successful quarterback–head coach tandem.[91] They were consistently credited with the Patriots' dynasty from 2001 to 2019, resulting in the dynasty being named the Brady–Belichick era after them.[92][93][94][95][96] The dynasty is regarded as one of the greatest in sports history, with Brady's successes helping the Patriots set the records for Super Bowl appearances(11) and wins (6, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers).[97] During Brady's first season as the primary starter, the franchise won its first championship in Super Bowl XXXVI, with consecutive titles following in 2003 and 2004.[98][99] The Patriots won an NFL-record21 consecutive games (regular season and playoffs) during this period, while Brady won10 consecutive postseason games (also his first10 postseason games), another NFL record.[100][101]
Brady maintained the Patriots' status as perennial postseason contenders throughout his tenure, although they did not win another Super Bowl until a decade after their third. His next two appearances both ended in upset defeats to the New York Giants; the first loss in 2007's Super Bowl XLII also prevented Brady and the Patriots from obtaining a perfect 19–0 season.[102] Brady returned to dominant postseason form in 2014 when he led the Patriots to their fourth title in Super Bowl XLIX.[103] This was followed by Brady making three consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 2016 to 2018, which secured New England's fifth and sixth titles in Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII.[104]
When Brady signed with Tampa Bay in 2020, the team had not reached the postseason since 2007 or won a playoff game since 2002.[105] Brady helped end both droughts en route to the Buccaneers winning Super Bowl LV.[106] In 2021, he set the season record for completions and led the league in passing yards and touchdowns; his passing yards were also a career-high.[107] In his final season, despite finishing with a losing record for the first time, Brady broke his single-season completion record and set the season record for attempts.[108]
One of the NFL's most decorated and accomplished players, Brady is widely cited as the greatest quarterback of all time.[3] He is one of NFL's greatest players of all time[109][110][111][112] and one of the greatest athletes in sports history.[113][114][115][116]
New England Patriots
2000–2004: Rookie season and initial Super Bowl runs
Brady was a lightly regarded prospect coming out of college,[121] with an unimpressive NFL Scouting Combine performance reinforcing this reputation.[122] As a result, he was not selected until the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, 199th overall, a compensatory pick the Patriots earned due to the loss of punter Tom Tupa to free agency in 1999,[123] and was the seventh quarterback taken. He and his family believed Brady would be drafted in the second or third round; they watched the draft on television, stunned as six other quarterbacks were drafted before he was. Brady was so embarrassed he briefly left the family home during the sixth round and cried when recalling the experience for an interview 11 years later. Brady later said that when the Patriots notified him that he would be drafted, he was grateful he would not "have to be an insurance salesman".[124] According to Michael Holley's book Patriot Reign, the Patriots were considering Brady and Tim Rattay, both of whom had received positive reviews from then-quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein.[125] Ultimately, the Patriots front office chose Brady. Considering his subsequent success, many analysts have called Brady the best NFL draft pick of all time.[126][127][128][129] Patriots owner Robert Kraft recalled: "I still have the image of Tom Brady coming down the old Foxboro Stadium steps with that pizza box under his arm, a skinny beanpole, and when he introduced himself to me and said 'Hi Mr. Kraft,' he was about to say who he was, but I said 'I know who you are, you're Tom Brady. You're our sixth round draft choice,'" recalled Kraft. "And he looked me in the eye and said 'I'm the best decision this organization has ever made.' It looks like he could be right."[130]
Brady started the 2000 season as the fourth-string quarterback, behind starter Drew Bledsoe and backups John Friesz and Michael Bishop; by the end of the season, he was number two on the depth chart behind Bledsoe.[131] During his rookie season, he was 1-for-3 passing, for six yards.[132] Tight end Rod Rutledge caught Brady's first and only completed pass of the season in a 34–9 loss to the Detroit Lions on November 23.[133][134]
2001: Taking over as starter and first Super Bowl victory
With Bledsoe as the starting quarterback, the Patriots opened the 2001 season with a 23–17 road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.[135] In their second game and home opener on September 23, the Patriots squared off against their AFC East rivals, the New York Jets. Bledsoe was again the starter; in the fourth quarter, he suffered internal bleeding after a hit from Jets linebackerMo Lewis. Bledsoe returned for the next series, but was replaced with Brady for the Patriots' final series of the game. New York held on to win 10–3, and the Patriots fell to 0–2 on the season.[136] Brady was named the starter for the season's third game, against the Indianapolis Colts, in which the Patriots posted a 44–13 win.[137][138]
In the Patriots' fifth game, Brady began to find his stride. Trailing the visiting San Diego Chargers 26–16 in the fourth quarter, he led the Patriots on two scoring drives to force overtime, and another in overtime to set up a winning field goal for a 29–26 victory. Brady finished the game with 33 of 54, for 364 yards and two touchdowns, and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career.[139][140] The following week, Brady again played well during the rematch at Indianapolis, with a passer rating of 148.3 in a 38–17 win.[141] Brady won his second AFC Offensive Player of the Week nomination after a four-touchdown day in a 34–17 win over the New Orleans Saints in Week 11.[142] The Patriots went on to win eleven of the fourteen games Brady started, and six straight to finish the regular season, winning the AFC East and entering the NFL playoffs with a first-round bye.[143] Hefinished the 2001 season with 2,843 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, earning an invitation to the ProBowl.[144][145]
In Brady's first playoff game, he threw for 312 yards against the Oakland Raiders and led the Patriots back from a ten-point fourth-quarter deficit to send the game to overtime, where they won on an Adam Vinatieri field goal 16–13. A controversial play occurred in the fourth quarter of that game. Trailing by three points, Brady lost control of the ball after being hit by Raiders cornerback and former Michigan teammate Charles Woodson. Oakland initially recovered the ball but, citing the "tuck rule"–which states that any forward throwing motion by a quarterback begins a pass even if the quarterback loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body–referee Walt Coleman overturned the call on instant replay, ruling it an incomplete pass rather than a fumble.[146] Brady finished the game 32-of-52 for 312 passing yards and one interception.[147]
In the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers, Brady injured his knee, and was relieved by Bledsoe. The Patriots won the game by a score of 24–17.[148] Subsequently, Las Vegas oddsmakers positioned them as 14-point underdogs against the NFC champion St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.[149]
Brady returned from his knee injury in the AFC Championship Game to start in the Super Bowl a week later at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Despite being heavy underdogs, the Patriots played well, holding the Rams' high-powered offense in check through the first three quarters. The Rams rallied from a 17–3 deficit to tie the game with 1:30 left in regulation. The Patriots then got the ball back at their own 17-yard line with no timeouts remaining. Sportscaster and former Super Bowl-winning coach John Madden argued that the Patriots should run out the clock and try to win the game in overtime.[150] Instead, Brady drove the Patriots' offense down the field to the Rams' 31-yard line before spiking the ball with seven seconds left. Kicker Adam Vinatieri converted a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Patriots a 20–17 win and their first ever league championship.[151] When discussing the game winning drive, Madden stated that "what Tom Brady just did, gives me goosebumps".[152] Brady was named Super Bowl MVP while throwing for 145 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. At the age of 24 years and six months, Brady became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, surpassing Joe Namath (III) and Joe Montana (XVI).[153][154] Bledsoe was traded to the Buffalo Bills in April,[155] which cemented Brady's status as the Patriots' starting quarterback in2002.[156]
2002 season
In the Patriots' season opener, Brady had 294 passing yards and three touchdowns in the 30–14 win over the Steelers, and earned his third AFC Offensive Player of the Week title.[157][158] In Week 9, Brady won his second AFC Offensive Player of the Week title for a three-touchdown game in a 38–7 win over Buffalo.[159] Brady and the Patriots finished the season at 9–7, tied with the Jets and Miami Dolphins for the best record in the division; however, the Patriots lost the division title to the Jets on tiebreakers. Additionally, the Patriots lost the tiebreaker to the Cleveland Browns for the final wild card spot, causing them to miss the playoffs entirely.[160] Though Brady posted a career-low single-season passer rating of 85.7 and a career-high of 14 interceptions, he threw for a league-leading 28 touchdown passes.[161]
2003 and 2004 seasons: Back-to-back Super Bowl wins
After opening the 2003 season at 2–2, Brady led the Patriots to twelve consecutive victories to finish the regular season at 14–2 to win the AFC East.[162] In Week 14, a 12–0 victory over the Dolphins, he recorded a 36-yard punt.[163] He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice in the 2003 season, in Week 9 and Week 17.[164][165] Brady finished with 3,620 passing yards and 23 touchdowns,[166] and was third in NFL MVP voting to co-winners Peyton Manning and Steve McNair.[167]
After earning a first-round bye, the Patriots defeated the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round, 17–14. In the AFC Championship Game, they defeated the Colts, 24–14. In Super Bowl XXXVIII, Brady led the Patriots to a 32–29 victory over the NFC champion Carolina Panthers and was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time. During the game, Brady threw for 354 yards with three touchdowns and set the record for most completions by a quarterback in a Super Bowl with 32. With 1:08 left in the fourth quarter and the score tied 29–29, Brady led a drive with five completions to put the Patriots in position for the game-winning 41-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri.[168]
Brady won his ninth consecutive playoff game and third championship in Super Bowl XXXIX
During the 2004 season, Brady helped the Patriots set an NFL record with 21 straight wins dating from the previous year, an accomplishment honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (though for official records, the NFL considers it an 18-game regular season winning streak; it does not count playoff games).[169] New England finished with a 14–2 record, equaling their 2003 record and the best regular-season record ever for a defending champion.[170] The Patriots also won the AFC East title for the third time in four years.[171] Brady threw for 3,692 yards and 28 touchdowns, with a 92.6 passer rating, and was voted to his second Pro Bowl.[172][173]
In the playoffs, Brady led the Patriots to wins over the Colts in the Divisional Round by a score of 20–3 and the Steelers in the AFC Championship by a score of 41–27.[174] Brady played his best game of the year in Pittsburgh despite requiring intravenous treatment the previous night when he ran a temperature of 103°F.[175] Against the NFL's best defense,[174] he recorded a quarterback passer rating of 130.5, his highest of the season.[137] In Super Bowl XXXIX, the Patriots narrowly defeated the Philadelphia Eagles, 24–21, capturing their third championship in four years. They became the first franchise since the Dallas Cowboys to do so.[176] Up until the 2023 season, the 2004 New England Patriots were the last NFL team to win a second straight Super Bowl. Brady threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the win.[177]
2005–2008: Beginning of Super Bowl drought and injury
2005 and 2006 seasons
During the 2005 season, injuries suffered by running backs Corey Dillon, Patrick Pass, and Kevin Faulk forced the Patriots to rely more on Brady's passing.[178][179] Brady also had to adjust to new center Russ Hochstein and running back Heath Evans. Brady won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 5 350-yard, three-touchdown victory over the Falcons.[180] Brady finished the season with 4,110 yards and 26 touchdowns, the former of which led the league.[181][182] He and the Patriots finished with a 10–6 record, winning their third straight AFC East title.[183] He was named to his third Pro Bowl at the end of the season.[184]
In the playoffs, Brady recorded 201 passing yards and three passing touchdowns to help lead the Patriots to a 28–3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round. In the Divisional Round the Patriots lost 27–13 to the Denver Broncos.[185][186] Brady threw for 341 yards in the game with one touchdown and two interceptions in the first playoff loss of his career after ten consecutive victories.[187] After the season's end, it was revealed that Brady had been playing with a sports hernia since December.[188]
In 2006, Brady led the Patriots to a 12–4 record and the fourth seed in the AFC playoffs.[189] Brady finished the regular season with 3,529 yards and 24 touchdowns.[190] He was not among the players initially selected to the Pro Bowl,[191] although he was offered an injury-replacement selection when Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was forced to withdraw. Brady ended up declining the invitation.[192]
In the postseason, the Patriots first hosted their division rivals, the Jets, in the Wild Card Round. The Patriots defeated the Jets 37–16, as Brady went 22–34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns.[193] The Patriots traveled to San Diego to take on the Chargers in the Divisional Round. This was Brady's first playoff game in his home state of California. Brady and the Patriots struggled against the Chargers, whom many had picked as favorites to win Super Bowl XLI. With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Patriots down by eight points, Brady and the Patriots started a key drive that would ultimately decide the game. During the drive, Brady threw a fourth-down interception to safety Marlon McCree, but wide receiver Troy Brown forced a fumble on McCree that wide receiver Reche Caldwell recovered to convert the first down.[194] With a new set of downs, Brady threw a touchdown pass to Caldwell and Faulk scored the two-point conversion to tie the game. On what would be the Patriots' final drive, Brady threw a 49-yard pass play to Caldwell, setting up a Stephen Gostkowski field goal that gave New England a 24–21 lead with 1:10 remaining. The Chargers drove down the field, but Nate Kaeding missed a game-tying field goal attempt, as the Patriots held on to win.[195]
In the AFC Championship, the Patriots traveled to Indianapolis to play the Colts, marking the third time the Patriots played the Colts in four postseasons. The Patriots led at halftime, 21–6; however, Peyton Manning led the Colts to a comeback. Brady threw a late-game interception and the Patriots lost the game to the Colts, 38–34.[196] Brady finished the loss 21 of 34 for 232 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.[197]
2007: Perfect regular season and first MVP
Brady in Baltimore during his first MVP season in 2007
Playing with an overhauled receiver corps—in the 2007 off-season, the Patriots acquired wide receivers Donté Stallworth, Wes Welker, Kelley Washington, and Randy Moss; tight end Kyle Brady; and running back Sammy Morris—Brady enjoyed what many sportswriters described as one of the best seasons by a quarterback.[198][199] Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for both September and October.[200][201] Brady led the Patriots to the first 16–0 regular-season record in NFL history, outscoring opponents by an average score of 37–17.[202] He also attained numerous career, franchise, and NFL records and milestones in the process. He was named as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week five times that year.[203] In a Week 6 game against the Dallas Cowboys, he had a career-high five passing touchdowns in a 48–27 win. The win tied him with Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach for the most wins ever by a starting quarterback in his first 100 regular-season starts, with 76.[204] The next week, in part of a 49–28 win against the Dolphins, he had another record day, with a career-high six passing touchdowns, setting a franchise record. He also had the first game with a perfect passer rating of his career.[205] Two weeks later, as part of a come-from-behind 24–20 victory against the Colts, he threw for another three touchdowns, the ninth consecutive game in which he had done so, breaking Peyton Manning's NFL record of eight.[206] During the last game of the season against the Giants in which the Patriots won 38–35, Brady threw his 50th touchdown of the season, breaking Peyton Manning's single-season record of 49 from the 2004 season.[207]
Brady on the sideline at Giants Stadium with teammates Randy Moss and Jabar Gaffney, after throwing for his record-breaking 50th passing touchdown of the 2007 season
Brady finished the season with 4,806 passing yards, 50 touchdown passes, eight interceptions, and a career-high 117.2 passer rating.[208] It was unanimously voted the greatest passing season of all time by ESPN in 2013. His 50:8 touchdown to interception ratio was, at the time, an NFL record. He became the first quarterback to pass for 50 touchdowns. He led the Patriots to the first undefeated regular season since the 16-game schedule was implemented in 1978. He directed an offense that scored a then-NFL record 589 points and 75 total touchdowns. The team's 50 total touchdown passes is the fourth-most ever in a season. For his efforts, Brady was named the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. He was also honored by the Associated Press as their Male Athlete of the Year, the first time an NFL player earned the honor since Joe Montana won the award in 1990.[209] He was named as a First-Team All-Pro and to his fourth career Pro Bowl as a result of his historic season.[210][211]
In the Patriots' first playoff game, a Divisional Round game against the Jaguars, Brady began the game with an NFL postseason record 16 consecutive completed passes, and finished the game with 26 completions in 28 attempts, a completion rate of 92.9% as the Patriots won 31–20. That mark was the highest single-game completion percentage (with at least 20 attempts) in NFL history, regular season or postseason.[212] With the win, the Patriots matched the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only team to win 17 consecutive games in one season.
Statistically, Brady did not fare as well in the AFC Championship Game against the Chargers, throwing for 209 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Nevertheless, the Patriots won their 18th game of the season, 21–12, to advance to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven seasons. Brady, with the 100th win of his career, also set an NFL record for the fewest games needed by a starting quarterback to do so: his 100–26 record is sixteen games better than Joe Montana's.[213] In Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants, Brady was pressured heavily and sacked five times. The Patriots managed to take the lead with a Brady touchdown to Moss with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Giants were able to drive and score a last-minute touchdown to upset the Patriots 17–14, taking away what would have been the first perfect season since the NFL expanded its regular season to 16 games.[214]
2008: Injury
In the Patriots' season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium (in which the Patriots won 17–10), Brady's left knee was seriously injured midway through the first quarter on a hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard; Brady left the game and did not return. The team later confirmed that he would require surgery, and it would prematurely end his 2008 season.[215] Brady tore both his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament.[216] The injury ended Brady's streak of 111 consecutive starts.[217] Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at the Los Angeles Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic on October 6, using Brady's patellar tendon graft to replace the torn ligament, and also repaired his medial collateral ligament, through a separate incision in his left knee.[218] An infection in the wound resulted in further debridement surgery several times since the original procedure. Brady received IV antibiotics for this infection which, at the time, threatened to delay his rehab.[219][220] Despite Brady's absence, the Patriots managed to finish the 2008 season with an 11–5 record; however, due to tiebreakers, the Patriots not only failed to win the AFC East division title, but missed the playoffs altogether for the first time since the 2002 season.[221]
2009–2013: Statistical success and continued Super Bowl drought
In the 2009 season opener against the Bills, Brady's first game in more than a year, he threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns. In the final three minutes of the game, the Patriots were down 24–13 before Brady and tight end Benjamin Watson connected on two straight touchdowns to lead the Patriots to a 25–24 win.[222] He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Bills.[223]
On October 18, 2009, under blizzard conditions, Brady set an NFL record against the Titans for most touchdowns in a quarter, throwing five in the second quarter. Brady finished the game with six touchdowns, tying his career-high from the 2007 season, and 380 yards, completing 29-of-34 attempts, finishing with a nearly perfect passer rating of 152.8.[224][225] The Patriots' 59–0 victory over the Titans tied the record for the largest margin of victory since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger,[226] and set a record for largest halftime lead in NFL history, which was 45–0.[227] He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Titans.[228] Brady was later named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.[229] For Week 16, Brady won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a four-touchdown game in a 35–7 win over the Jaguars.[230]
Brady finished the 2009 regular season with 4,398 yards passing and 28 touchdowns for a 96.2 rating,[231] despite a broken right ring finger and three fractured ribs, which were suffered over the course of the season.[232] He was selected as a reserve to the 2010 Pro Bowl and named the 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.[233][234]
Brady ended the 2009 season throwing for 154 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions in a 33–14 Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens.[235] This was his first career home playoff loss and the Patriots' first home playoff loss since 1978.[236]
2010: Second MVP
On September 10, 2010, Brady signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension, making him the highest-paid player in the NFL. The extension included $48.5 million in guaranteed money.[237]
Brady became the fastest quarterback to achieve 100 regular season wins by helping his team defeat the Dolphins 41–14 on October 4.[238] On November 25, in a Thanksgiving Day game against the Lions, he earned a perfect passer rating for the second time in his career as the Patriots won 45–24.[239][240] The next week, a 45–3 victory over the Jets, Brady set a record of 26 consecutive regular-season home wins, breaking Brett Favre's record.[241][242] He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the two games against the Lions and Jets.[243][244] For December, Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month.[245] Brady threw for 3,900 yards with 36 touchdowns and only four interceptions on the season.[246]
Brady was selected as a starter to the 2011 Pro Bowl.[247] However, he pulled out of the game (and was replaced by his former backup Matt Cassel, who then played for the Chiefs) after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot dating back to 2008.[248] Brady was also the only unanimous selection for the AP All-Pro Team and was named the 2010 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. By unanimous decision, he won the MVP award for the second time in his career.[249] On the inaugural NFL Top 100 Players list, Brady was ranked as the best player in the NFL by his peers.[250]
After earning the #1 seed and a bye week, the Patriots lost to the Jets in the Divisional Round, 28–21. Brady finished the game 29-of-45 for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception which ended his NFL record of consecutive pass attempts without an interception at 340.[251][252]
In Week 1 of the 2011 season, Brady threw for a career-high 517 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in a 38–24 win over the Dolphins and earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.[253] In the game, he threw a record-tying 99-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker.[254][255][256] Brady won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the following game against the Chargers. He had 423 yards and three touchdowns in the 35–21 victory.[257] Brady closed out the season being named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November and December.[258][259] In addition, he was the Week 16 AFC Offensive Player of the Week.[260] Brady had a statistically successful season, and in the regular season finale against the Bills (a 49–21 win), he became the fourth quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards in a season, finishing with 5,235; although Brady surpassed Dan Marino's longstanding record of 5,084 passing yards, he finished the season second in passing yards behind Drew Brees' 5,476.[261][262] The Patriots finished the season 13–3 and clinched the AFC's #1 seed.[263] For his efforts in the 2011 season, Brady was named to the Pro Bowl and was named as the fourth-best player in the NFL on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012 by his peers.[264][265]
There's no quarterback I'd rather have than Tom Brady. He's the best. He does so much for us in so many ways on so many different levels. I'm very fortunate that he's our quarterback and what he's able to do for this team. It's good to win with him and all the rest of our players. If that's more than somebody else did, I don't really care about that.[266]
—Bill Belichick, following the 2011 AFC Championship Game
Brady led the Patriots to a 45–10 win over the Broncos in the Divisional Round, where he tied an NFL playoff record shared by Daryle Lamonica and Steve Young, throwing for six touchdown passes.[267] The win gave Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick sole possession of the NFL record for postseason wins by a quarterback–head coach duo with 15.[268] In the AFC Championship game against the Ravens, Brady failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 36 games, though he did score a one-yard rushing touchdown late in the game. A missed field goal from Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff gave Brady and the Patriots a 23–20 victory, sending Brady to his fifth Super Bowl.[269]
In Super Bowl XLVI, Brady and the Patriots met the Giants in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, which the Giants won 21–17. On the Patriots' first offensive series, Brady was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone, giving up a safety which gave the Giants an early 2–0 lead. Brady would bounce back from this early blunder, leading a Super Bowl record-tying 96-yard touchdown drive to close the first half and at one point completing 16 consecutive passes to give him a 20-of-23 mark partway into the third quarter, another Super Bowl record.[270] However, as was also the case four years earlier, the Patriots could not hold a late lead and allowed Eli Manning to lead the Giants to a game-winning touchdown with less than a minute left, giving Brady his second career Super Bowl loss.[271]
2012 and 2013 seasons
Brady started all 16 regular season games of the 2012 season and led the Patriots to a 12–4 record. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times that year in Weeks 4, 8, and 14.[272][273][274] He became the first quarterback to lead his team to ten division titles.[275] With a 557-point total, the Patriots became the first team to score at least 500 points in a season four different times, with Brady leading all four squads, also a record. He finished the season with 4,827 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, only eight interceptions, and a passer rating of 98.7.[276] Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time in his career.[277] On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013, Brady was ranked fourth by his fellow players for the second consecutive year.[278]
Brady led the Patriots to a 41–28 win over the Houston Texans in the Divisional Round.[279] With the victory, Brady surpassed Joe Montana for most career playoff wins, with 17.[280] The Patriots were then upset by the eventual Super Bowl XLVII champion Ravens, 28–13, in the AFC Championship.[281] He suffered his first career loss at home when leading by halftime, in which he was previously 67–0.[282]
On February 25, 2013, Brady and the Patriots agreed on a three-year contract extension, which kept him with the team through 2017.[283] Sportswriter Peter King called it an "amazing" deal and also noted that it reflected Patriots owner Robert Kraft's desire to make sure that Brady retired as a Patriot.[284]
Brady during the 2013 season
Brady and the Patriots began the season with much upheaval on the offensive side of the ball. Tight end Rob Gronkowski was injured and Aaron Hernandez was arrested. Wes Welker departed to the Broncos, Danny Woodhead left in free agency for the Chargers, and Brandon Lloyd was released from the team. In order to replace the five players, the Patriots signed Danny Amendola in free agency from the Rams, drafted rookie wide receivers Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce, and signed undrafted rookie free agent wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins. In the first two games of the season, Brady completed 52% of his passes and had three touchdowns and one interception.[285][286]
Brady was in pursuit of Drew Brees' record of at least one touchdown in 54 consecutive regular season games and saw the streak end at 52 games in a Week 5 13–6 loss against the Bengals.[287] Brady earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 12 overtime victory over the Broncos.[288]
Brady and the Patriots would go on to finish the season well, as Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time in his career and was ranked third on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list in the off-season.[289][290] The Patriots finished the season 12–4 to earn the second seed in the AFC and a first-round bye.[291] In the Divisional Round matchup against the Colts, Brady made his 25th playoff appearance, breaking Brett Favre's career record for playoff appearances by a quarterback. The Patriots won 43–22 behind a four-touchdown performance from running back LeGarrette Blount.[292] The following week, the Patriots lost 26–16 to the Broncos in the AFC Championship.[293]
2014–2016: Return to Super Bowl success and Deflategate
Brady started the 2014 season with a 33–20 loss to the Dolphins.[294] It was Brady's first opening day loss since the 2003 season.[295] After going 2–1 in the next three games, Brady helped lead the Patriots to a seven-game winning streak. In that stretch, Brady had two games with four touchdown passes and one game with five.[296][297] He won AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.[298] Brady clinched his NFL record 12th AFC East division title with a Week 14 win against the San Diego Chargers, later in the season.[299] Brady was named to his tenth career Pro Bowl and was ranked third by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list.[300][301]
In a 35–31 Divisional Round win over the Ravens,[302] Brady threw for three touchdowns and ran in a fourth, breaking Curtis Martin's club record for rushing touchdowns in the playoffs; Brady also broke Joe Montana's record for playoff touchdowns with 46.[303] After the Ravens scored on their first two possessions, the Patriots were quickly down 14–0, but would end up tying the game 14–14. Brady threw an interception at the end of the first half, which wound up leading to a Baltimore 21–14 halftime lead. Down 28–14, Brady engineered an 80-yard drive, culminating in a touchdown to Rob Gronkowski to cut the lead to 28–21. The Patriots tied the game once again at 28 off of a trick play where Brady passed laterally to Julian Edelman who then threw a 51-yard touchdown to Amendola. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker converted a 25-yard field goal to give Baltimore a 31–28 fourth quarter lead. Brady got the ball back, and threw a 23-yard touchdown to wide receiver Brandon LaFell to give the Patriots their first lead, 35–31, with 5:13 remaining. After a Duron Harmon interception and a Joe FlaccoHail Mary attempt failed, Brady clinched his record ninth AFC Championship Game appearance. It was his fourth straight overall. After a 45–7 blowout of the Colts,[304] Brady advanced to play in his sixth Super Bowl, breaking a tie with John Elway for most career Super Bowl appearances by a quarterback.
In Super Bowl XLIX, Brady completed 37-of-50 passes for 328 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. He guided a then-record ten-point fourth quarter comeback as the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28–24 to give Brady his fourth Super Bowl ring, tying him with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl victories by a starting quarterback.[305] He was named Super Bowl MVP for the third time, tying Montana's record.[306] Brady's 37 completed passes in the game set a Super Bowl record at the time, which Brady himself would break in Super Bowl LI two years later.[307]
Deflategate report
On May 6, 2015, the NFL published a 243-page report regarding the deflation of footballs used in the previous season's AFC Championship Game.[308] The report concluded that, more likely than not, Brady was at least generally aware of the intentional deflation. On May 11, Brady was suspended for four games by the NFL for his involvement based on "substantial and credible evidence" that Brady knew Patriots employees were deflating footballs and that he was uncooperative with the investigators.[309] That day, Troy Vincent—NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations—penned a letter to Brady that stated in part: "Your actions as set forth in the report clearly constitute conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the game of professional football."[310] Brady, through the NFL Players Association, appealed the suspension on May 14.[311]
On July 28, NFL CommissionerRoger Goodell upheld Brady's four-game suspension.[312] Goodell cited Brady's destruction of his cell phone as a critical factor in his decision to uphold Brady's suspension.[313][314] The NFL also filed papers in federal court seeking to confirm Roger Goodell's decision.[315] Brady gave permission to the NFLPA to appeal the suspension in federal court,[316] and released a statement on his Facebook page that expressed disappointment in and criticism of Goodell's decision to uphold the suspension.[317][318]
Commentary on the initial punishment was mixed. Bleacher Report writer Mike Freeman made a statement agreeing with Goodell's decision, saying the penalties were "brutal, but it deserved to be."[319] Various commentators also implied that the prior reputation of the Patriots organization as a team that bends rules appeared to factor into the harshness of the punishment.[319][320] Others described the punishment as "firm but fair".[321]
On September 3, Judge Richard M. Berman of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York vacated Brady's suspension; this ruling allowed Brady to play in the first four games of the 2015 NFL season. In his decision, Judge Berman cited the NFL's failure to provide proper notice to Brady of the charges against him and the potential for a suspension.[322] Post-appeal commentary also criticized Goodell for "manipulating Brady's testimony" at the appeal hearing in his decision.[323]
In the NFL Kickoff Game, Brady led the Patriots to a 28–21 win over the Steelers. He threw for 288 yards and four touchdowns, three of them to Rob Gronkowski.[324] The Patriots' victory was the 161st victory of Brady's career, all with the Patriots, which surpassed the record held by former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre for most regular season wins by a starting quarterback with a single team.[325] In Week 2, Brady threw for 466 yards and three touchdowns in a 40–32 win against the Bills. Through the first five games of the season, Brady threw a total of 14 touchdowns with one interception and had a quarterback rating of 118.4.[326] Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September.[327] In Week 8, a 36–7 victory over the Dolphins, he had 356 passing yards and four touchdowns to earn his 25th career AFC Offensive Player of the Week title.[328][329]
Despite Brady's success, the Patriots were hit by many injuries to key players on offense, including wide receiver Julian Edelman, and the Patriots eventually lost their first game against the Broncos 30–24 in overtime, who were without Peyton Manning, in Denver following a 10–0 start.[330] The Patriots then lost three of their remaining five games to finish 12–4 for a fourth straight season, earning the 2-seed in the AFC.[331][332] Brady finished the regular season with a league-leading 36 touchdown passes and seven interceptions.[333] He was named to his 11th Pro Bowl (seventh straight), and was ranked as the second best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 behind only league MVP Cam Newton.[334][335]
With the return of Julian Edelman from a foot injury, the Patriots defeated the Chiefs in the Divisional Round by a score of 27–20 after advancing with a first round bye.[336][337] Brady completed 28 of 42 passes for 302 yards and two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown as he led the team to their fifth consecutive appearance in the AFC Championship.[338] The Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship to face Peyton Manning and the Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. It would turn out to be the 17th and final meeting between the two storied quarterbacks, as Manning would announce his retirement after the season ended. The Broncos' top-ranked defense limited Brady, who completed 27-of-56 passes, for 310 yards, two interceptions and a passing touchdown, all day, and the Patriots eventually lost the game 20–18 after a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt failed with less than half a minute remaining.[339]
Deflategate suspension
On February 29, 2016, Brady signed a two-year contract extension covering the 2018 and 2019 seasons.[340] On March 3, the NFL appealed Judge Richard M. Berman's 2015 decision to vacate Brady's four-game suspension as punishment for his alleged role in the Deflategate scandal. At the hearing, the three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit questioned Players Association lawyer Jeffrey L. Kessler and NFL lawyer Paul Clement, with Circuit Judge Denny Chin stating that "the evidence of ball tampering is compelling, if not overwhelming."[341]
On April 25, the decision to vacate Brady's four-game suspension was overturned by the U.S. Appeals Court.[342][343] Circuit Judge Barrington Daniels Parker Jr., joined by Circuit Judge Chin, wrote that they could not "second-guess" the arbitration but were merely determining it "met the minimum legal standards established by the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947".[344] Circuit Chief Judge Robert Katzmann dissented, writing that the NFL's fines for using stickum was "highly analogous" and that here "the Commissioner was doling out his own brand of industrial justice."[345] On May 23, Brady appealed for his case to be reheard by the full U.S. 2nd Circuit Court.[346] The 2nd Circuit Court denied Brady's request for an en banc hearing on July 13.[347] On July 15, Brady announced that he would give up his Deflategate fight and accept his suspension for the first four regular season games of the 2016 season.[348]
2016: Fifth Super Bowl win
Brady during the 2016 season
After serving his four-game suspension, Brady made his 2016 season debut on October 9 on the road against the Browns; he completed 28-of-40 passes for 406 yards and three touchdowns in a 33–13 victory to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week.[349][350] Brady's outstanding numbers during his first four games following the suspension earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Month award for October.[351]
In Week 11, Brady recorded four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 30–17 road win against the 49ers.[352] Those four touchdown passes gave him a total of 444 career regular season touchdown passes with one team, breaking Brett Favre's record with the Green Bay Packers. The following week, Brady completed 30-of-50 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns in a 22–17 road victory against the Jets.[353] The win was also the Patriots' 500th victory (including playoffs) in franchise history. During this victory, Brady also became the fifth quarterback to record 60,000 career regular season passing yards, joining Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Drew Brees, and Dan Marino.[354] The following week, Brady and the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 26–10,[355] giving Brady his record-201st career victory, including playoff games.[356]
With a 16–3 victory over the Broncos,[357] the Patriots clinched an eighth consecutive AFC East title and a seventh consecutive first-round bye in the playoffs, both NFL records.[358] On December 20, 2016, Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth straight season and 12th time overall.[359][360] Brady ended the regular season with 28 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions for the regular season, breaking the previous TD:INT ratio record of Nick Foles's 27:2 figure set in 2013 with the Eagles.[361] Brady was named to the AP All-Pro Second Team.[362] Brady was also ranked first on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 as the best player in the league, becoming the first player to be named as #1 twice since the listing began.[363]
Brady and the Patriots began their postseason run in the Divisional Round, hosting the Texans, which held the league's No. 1 total defense. Brady completed 18-of-38 passes for 287 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Patriots won 34–16, clinching a record sixth consecutive trip to the AFC Championship Game.[364] In the AFC Championship, the Patriots hosted the Steelers. Brady completed 32-of-42 passes for 384 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions in the 36–17 victory. The win gave Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick their record seventh conference title as a quarterback–head coach tandem, and the Patriots an NFL record ninth Super Bowl appearance.[365]
Brady and the Patriots faced the NFC champion Atlanta Falcons, who boasted the league's highest-scoring offense, in Super Bowl LI. Brady threw for 43 completions on 62 attempts for 466 passing yards—all Super Bowl records at the time. Brady also threw for two touchdowns and an interception, which was returned for a touchdown by Robert Alford in the second quarter. After trailing 28–3 midway through the third quarter, Brady and the Patriots scored 25 unanswered points to tie the game at the end of regulation. This resulted in the first overtime in Super Bowl history. After winning the overtime coin toss, Brady led the Patriots down the field to score a touchdown and win the game by a score of 34–28,[366] completing the largest comeback win in both team history and Super Bowl history. With the victory, Brady won his fifth Super Bowl, which set a record for most Super Bowl victories of any quarterback in history and tied defensive player Charles Haley for the most Super Bowl victories for any player. In addition, Brady set another record by winning his fourth Super Bowl MVP award for his clutch performance.[78] On a personal note, this game was also special for Brady because it was the first game this season that his mother had attended in person, after having been previously diagnosed with cancer.[367]
2017–2019: Final years in New England
2017: Third MVP and loss in Super Bowl LII
On May 12, 2017, Brady was announced as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 18.[368] In a CBS interview on May 17, Charlie Rose asked Brady's wife, Gisele Bündchen, if she wanted Brady to retire, despite the fact that he was still playing at a high level. Bündchen mentioned that Brady suffered from a concussion in 2016, saying, "I mean he has concussions pretty much every—I mean we don't talk about—but he does have concussions. I don't really think it's a healthy thing for anybody to go through."[369][370] Following the Bündchen interview, the NFL released a statement: "We have reviewed all reports relating to Tom Brady from the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants and certified athletic trainer spotters who worked at Patriots' home and away 2016 season games as well as club injury reports that were sent to the league office. There are no records that indicate that Mr. Brady suffered a head injury or concussion, or exhibited or complained of concussion symptoms. Today we have been in contact with the NFLPA and will work together to gather more information from the club's medical staff and Mr. Brady".[371][372] Brady's agent, Don Yee, said that Brady was not diagnosed with a concussion during the 2016 season.[373]
The Patriots opened up their 2017 season with a 42–27 loss in the NFL Kickoff Game to the Chiefs.[374] In Week 2, Brady's three touchdown passes and 447 passing yards in a 36–20 win over the New Orleans Saints earned him his 28th AFC Offensive Player of the Week award,[375] breaking the record previously held by Peyton Manning for the most AFC Offensive Player of the Week awards in a career.[376][377] He won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week again in the following week for his 378-yard, five-touchdown game in a 36–33 win over the Texans.[378] In Week 6, the Patriots defeated the Jets, 24–17.[379] Brady obtained his 187th career win, setting the record for most regular season wins in NFL history.[380] In Week 10, Brady won his third AFC Offensive Player of the Month for his three-touchdown game in a 41–16 win over the Broncos.[381] For the month of November, Brady won AFC Offensive Player of the Month.[382] On December 19, Brady was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 13th time in his career.[383] At age 40, Brady became the oldest quarterback ever to start all of his team's games in an NFL regular season.[e] Brady finished the regular season with a league-leading 4,577 passing yards, making him the oldest player ever to lead the league in passing yards.[384] He was named a first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press for the third time in his career.[385] Earning 40 of 50 votes, Brady was named the NFL Most Valuable Player for the third time in his career.[12] For the second straight year and third time overall, Brady was ranked No. 1 by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.[386]
Brady set the Super Bowl record for passing yards in Super Bowl LII, but the game ended in defeat
Brady and the Patriots began their postseason run by defeating the Titans, 35–14, in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.[387] With the win, the Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the seventh straight year. Days after the divisional round, it was revealed that Brady had a minor cut on his right hand, which required stitches.[388] Despite this injury, Brady managed to start the AFC Championship Game, where the Patriots hosted the Jaguars. Brady led a fourth quarter comeback to lead the Patriots to a 24–20 victory.[389] The win gave Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick their eighth conference title as a quarterback–head coach tandem, and the Patriots a berth in Super Bowl LII, their tenth Super Bowl appearance as a team, both of which extended NFL records.
In Super Bowl LII, the Patriots faced the Eagles and their second-string quarterback Nick Foles. Brady completed 28-of-48 attempts for three passing touchdowns, no interceptions, and a Super Bowl record505 yards–which set a new postseason game record for the most passing yards in NFL history.[390][391] With roughly two minutes remaining in the game and the Eagles leading 38–33, Brady was strip-sacked by Brandon Graham. The Eagles recovered the fumble and cemented their 41–33 win with a field goal, securing their first franchise Super Bowl victory in a game with the most combined total yardage in NFL history.[392] This was the third time overall that Brady had lost in a Super Bowl, becoming the fourth starting quarterback in Super Bowl history to lose at least three Super Bowls joining Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton, and John Elway.[393][394]
2018–2019: Sixth Super Bowl win and last years with New England
Brady started his 19th NFL season with 277 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception in a 27–20 victory over the Texans in the season opener.[395][396] In Week 5, in a 38–24 win against the Colts, Brady's 500th career touchdown pass went to Josh Gordon, who became the 71st different player to catch a touchdown from Brady, breaking a record previously held by Vinny Testaverde.[397][398] In Week 6, in a 43–40 win against the Chiefs, Brady secured his 200th career regular season win, making him the only quarterback in NFL history to accomplish that feat. In Week 15, Brady reached 70,000 passing yards, becoming the fourth quarterback in NFL history to accomplish the feat. During Week 16 against the Bills, Brady was limited to 126 passing yards, but the Patriots won 24–12, clinching the AFC East pennant for the 10th consecutive season and 16th time in 18 years.[399] In Week 17, Brady helped the Patriots clinch a first-round bye, with a 38–3 win against the Jets.[400][401] Brady finished the season completing 375-of-570 passes, 4,355 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.[402] He earned his 14th career Pro Bowl nomination.[403] He was ranked sixth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.[404]
Following their first-round bye, the Patriots started their playoff run at home against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Divisional Round. The Patriots jumped out to a 35–7 halftime lead en route to a 41–28 win. With the win, the Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game for an eighth consecutive year, this time to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.[405] The Patriots went into halftime with a 14–0 lead. However, the Chiefs led by young quarterback Patrick Mahomes battled back in the second half and sent the game into overtime with a score of 31–31. The Patriots won the coin toss to start overtime and elected to receive the ball. Brady led the Patriots on a 75-yard drive that resulted in a game-winning two-yard rushing touchdown by Rex Burkhead, to win the game 37–31. With the victory, Brady earned a third consecutive and ninth overall Super Bowl appearance for his career.[406]
In Super Bowl LIII, Brady completed 21-of-35 passes for 262 passing yards and an interception as the Patriots won 13–3 over the Rams in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history. This was the first time in his nine Super Bowl appearances in which Brady did not have a passing touchdown, though with the game tied 3–3 and less than eight minutes left he successfully connected with Rob Gronkowski down the sideline between three defenders to set up the go-ahead touchdown.[407] With the victory, the Patriots became the second NFL team to win six Super Bowls, tying the Steelers for the most in NFL history.[408] In addition, Brady became the oldest quarterback at41 years of age to win a Super Bowl,[367] as well as the first player ever to win six Super Bowls, breaking a tie with Charles Haley.[409][410]
Brady in a game against the Redskins
On August 4, 2019, Brady signed a two-year contract extension worth $70million through the 2021 season;[411] the terms of the contract allowed Brady to become a free agent after the 2019 season.[412] Against the 2019 Patriots salary cap, Brady was the highest-paid player on the team at $21.5million.[413] Belichick was unwilling to offer a longer-term deal that Brady sought.[414]
Brady began the season by completing24 of36 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns in a 33–3 win over the Steelers.[415] During a 33–7 victory against the Washington Redskins in Week5, Brady surpassed Brett Favre for third place on the all-time passing yards list.[416] The following week in a 35–14 win against the Giants, Brady overtook Peyton Manning for second place on the all-time passing yards list, behind only Drew Brees.[417] Although the Patriots' defense was performing well, the offense was notedly stagnant, and Brady told friends that he "felt Belichick had taken the offense for granted because of how good it had been for so long"; he said to NBC that he was the "most miserable8–0 quarterback in the NFL."[407] Brady and the Patriots struggled during the second half of the season, losing three of their next five games following the 8–0 start, including back-to-back losses in Weeks13 and 14 against the Texans (28–22) and Chiefs (23–16).[418][419] In Week17, Brady's final regular-season game as a Patriot, he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw an interception that was returned by former Patriots teammate Eric Rowe for a touchdown in a 27–24 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Although the Patriots finished the regular season with a 12–4 record and won the AFC East for the 11th consecutive year, this loss, combined with a win by the Chiefs, denied New England a first-round bye for the first time since 2009. Personally, however, Brady passed Peyton Manning for the second-most touchdown passes in NFL history, with 541.[420]
Brady in the 2019 playoffs against the Tennessee Titans, his final game with the Patriots
The Patriots began their postseason run in the Wild Card Round, where they faced the Titans. With his team trailing 14–13 and pinned back on its 1-yard line with15 seconds left in the game, Brady's final pass attempt of the game–and his last as a Patriot–was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Titans cornerback and former teammate Logan Ryan, which effectively sealed the 20–13 win for Tennessee.[421][422] During the NFL's celebration of their 100th season, Brady was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.[423] He was ranked 14th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.[424]
On March 17, 2020, the day before his contract with the Patriots expired, Brady announced that he would not re-sign with the team for the 2020 season, ending his 20-year tenure in New England.[425] After Brady signed with Tampa Bay, billboards thanking Brady for his services were posted alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike and eleven other locations around New England.[426]
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020–2022: Seventh Super Bowl win, brief retirement, and final season
Brady signed with the Buccaneers on March 20, 2020. The two-year contract was worth $50 million in fully guaranteed money, with up to $4.5 million each year in incentives. The deal included a no-trade and a no-franchise tag clause.[427] Although his career number of 12 was assigned to Chris Godwin, Godwin offered it to Brady as a sign of respect and switched his number to 14.[428] In April 2020, Brady was reunited with former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski when the tight end came out of retirement and was traded to the Buccaneers.[429] Head coach Bruce Arians stated that it was Brady who was adamant for the team to trade for Gronkowski.[430]
Making his Buccaneers debut in New Orleans against the Saints on September 13, Brady completed 23-of-36 passes for 239 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions, and additionally scored a rushing touchdown as the Saints defeated the Buccaneers 34–23.[431] Brady bounced back with three solid performances as the Buccaneers won their next three games, including a Week 4 performance against the Chargers in which he completed 30 of 46 passes for 369 yards, five touchdowns, and an interception.[432] Brady's five touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 38–31 win against the Chargers marked the seventh time in his career he had five touchdowns in a game and, at age 43, made him the oldest quarterback to have a five-touchdown game.[433] Brady's Week 4 performance earned him the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award for the first time in his career.[434] For the month of October, Brady won NFC Offensive Player of the Month.[435] In Week 9 against New Orleans, Brady threw for 209 yards and three interceptions during the 38–3 loss. This was the most lopsided loss of Brady's career, as well as the first time in his 20-year career that he had been swept by a divisional opponent.[436]
Brady later said that playing behind closed doors from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the NFL made it easier for him to execute his new team's unfamiliar football playbook.[437] In Week 16 against the Lions, Brady completed 22-of-27 attempts with 348 yards, four touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in the first half before being rested in the second half of the 47–7 victory. The win ended a 13-year playoff drought for the Buccaneers.[105] Overall, he finished the 2020 season with 4,633 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.[438][106] Due to the Saints winning the division, the Buccaneers settled for a wild card spot, marking a career-first for Brady.[70]
In the Wild Card Round against the Washington Football Team, Brady threw for 381 yards and two touchdowns in the 31–23 win. During the game, he became the oldest player to throw a touchdown pass in NFL postseason history.[439] In the Divisional Round against the Saints, Brady threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a touchdown in the 30–20 win. As Brady and Saints quarterback Drew Brees were both over 40 years old and were first and second in career touchdown passes and career passing yards, the game was hyped as the potential final matchup between the two stars[440][441] (which it indeed turned out to be, as Brees retired following the season). Brady extended his record of Conference Championship game appearances to 14.[442][443][444] In the NFC Championship, Brady threw for 280 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions in a 31–26 win over Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at Lambeau Field. It was another highly anticipated matchup since Brady and Rodgers were two of the most statistically efficient quarterbacks, and this was their first postseason matchup.[445] The win gave Brady his record-extending tenth Super Bowl appearance, making Brady the fourth quarterback to lead two different teams to the Super Bowl, joining Craig Morton, Kurt Warner, and Peyton Manning, and the second after Morton to reach the Super Bowl from both conferences.[446] The Buccaneers became the first team to play in a Super Bowl in its home stadium.[447]
Super Bowl LV was the first title game where both starting quarterbacks, Brady and his opposing counterpart Patrick Mahomes, have won the AP NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards; as Brady is Mahomes' senior by 18 years, some billed the matchup as comparable to Michael Jordan versus LeBron James.[448] Brady threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns in Tampa Bay's 31–9 win over the Chiefs. He had led the Buccaneers to become only the seventh Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl and only the fifth to do so by winning three road games.[449] Brady was awarded Super Bowl MVP for the game. His two touchdown passes to tight end Rob Gronkowski set a record for most postseason touchdown passes for a passer-receiver duo, with 14, breaking the mark previously held by Joe Montana and Jerry Rice.[450] Brady extended his record for most Super Bowl wins by a player with his seventh and extended his record for Super Bowl MVP awards, with five.[451] Brady became the second quarterback, joining Peyton Manning, to lead two different teams to Super Bowl wins, but the first to win Super Bowl MVP with two different teams. He was the first quarterback to win the Super Bowl with teams from different conferences.[452] Brady became the player with the most championships in NFL history and tied Otto Graham for the most league championships in professional football history by a player at seven. With the win, Brady became the oldest quarterback in Super Bowl history to start, play, win, and receive the MVP award.[81] He was ranked seventh by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021.[453]
2021 season
Brady during the 2021 season
On February 11, 2021, it was revealed that Brady had knee discomfort through most of the 2020 season and would require a minor arthroscopy for a routine cleanup.[454] Brady signed a one-year contract extension through the 2022 season with the Buccaneers on March 12, 2021.[455][456] On July 15, it was revealed that Brady had a torn MCL in the knee that had to undergo surgery, an injury that had plagued him for the entire 2020 season.[457] The NFL declined to comment on the Buccaneers' failure to disclose this injury.[458]
In the NFL Kickoff Game against the Cowboys, Brady threw for 379 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions leading the Buccaneers to a 31–29 win. Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski became the second passer-receiver duo to record 100 touchdown passes, joining Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison.[459] In Week 3, against the Rams, Brady threw for 432 yards, and had two touchdowns, and joined Drew Brees as the only players in NFL history to record 80,000 passing yards during the 34–24 loss.[460] In his return to New England in Week 4 against Belichick and rookie quarterback Mac Jones, Brady surpassed Brees, who coincidentally was on the sidelines as an analyst for NBC Sunday Night Football, for the most passing yards in National Football League history. He broke the record on a 28-yard completion to Mike Evans in the first quarter.[461] With the victory over his former team, Brady became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to record a win against all 32 current teams in the league, joining Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. In addition, he became the sixth quarterback to have a victory against every incumbent NFL franchise after Fran Tarkenton and Joe Montana, as the league only had 28 teams during the latter two's respective tenures.[462]
In Week 5, Brady threw for 411 yards and five touchdowns in a 45–17 win over the Dolphins, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week.[463] In Week 7, Brady became the first quarterback in NFL history to record 600 touchdown passes, with a nine-yard pass to Evans in a win against the Chicago Bears.[464] In Week 14, Brady surpassed Brees for most all-time pass completions list in NFL history and became the first quarterback to record 700 touchdown passes in regular season and postseason combined with a game-winning 58-yard pass to Breshad Perriman against the Bills.[465] Brady finished the 2021 season with an NFL record 485 pass completions for a career-high 5,316 passing yards, 43 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.[466][467] Brady became the oldest player in NFL history to pass for at least 5,000 yards and his passing yards total marked the third-most for a single season in NFL history.[107] He was named to the Pro Bowl for the 15th time.[468]
In the Wild Card Round, the Buccaneers faced off against the Eagles, as a rematch of their Week 6 regular season game. Brady completed 29 of 37 passes for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns as they won 31–15.[469] Brady and the Buccaneers advanced to the Divisional Round to face off against the Rams, to whom they previously lost in the regular season. Brady and the Buccaneers fell behind 27–3 in the third quarter, until Brady was able to lead the team to 24 unanswered points and a tie game; however, the Rams scored a field goal in the closing seconds to defeat the Buccaneers 30–27. Brady finished the game with 329 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.[470] The Rams later went on to win Super Bowl LVI.[471]
Brady announced his retirement on February 1, 2022, after 22 seasons.[472] In Brady's first two years with Tampa, the Buccaneers posted a regular season record of 24–9, which were the two most successful back-to-back seasons in franchise history. Their 13–4 regular season record in 2021 was the best result in franchise history, eclipsing the 12–4 record of the 2002 Super Bowl winning team.[473] Prior to Brady's arrival, the franchise had an all-time playoff record of 6–9; at the time of Brady's retirement, the all-time playoff record for Tampa Bay stood at 11–10.[474] He was ranked first by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022, his fourth time being ranked first.[475]
2022 season: Final season
On March 13, 2022, just 40 days after initially announcing his retirement, Brady announced he would return to the Buccaneers for the 2022 season.[476] In the Buccaneers' season-opening game against the Cowboys, Brady became the oldest quarterback to start a game in NFL history.[477] In Week 3 against the Packers, Brady became the first quarterback in NFL history to reach 85,000 career passing yards.[86] Brady and the Buccaneers lost in Weeks 6, 7, and 8, dropping the team to 3–5. It was the first three-game losing streak for Brady since his 2002 season with the Patriots.[478] In Week 8 against the Ravens, Brady was sacked by Justin Houston just before halftime. In turn, Brady became the most sacked quarterback in NFL history with 555 sacks taken, passing Ben Roethlisberger.[479]
In Week 9 against the Rams, Brady became the first quarterback in NFL history to reach 100,000 passing yards in his career (combined regular season and postseason).[480] With nine seconds left in regulation, Brady completed a touchdown pass to rookie tight end Cade Otton to win 16–13. The game-winning drive was the 55th of Brady's career, passing Peyton Manning for the most all-time.[481] The following week, Brady led the Buccaneers to a 21–16 victory over the Seahawks in a game played in Germany, making Brady the first quarterback in history to win games in three different countries outside the U.S. (having won games played in England and Mexico while he was with New England).[482]
On November 27, Brady saw a streak end. He was 218–0 when his team was leading by at least seven points in the final two minutes of regulation. Facing the Browns, the Buccaneers led by seven until the final thirty seconds when the Browns tied the game on a touchdown in an eventual overtime win by Cleveland.[483] In a Week 13 matchup against the Saints, Brady threw a touchdown pass to Rachaad White with three seconds remaining to complete a 13-point comeback.[484] This was the second time in Brady's career that he had surmounted a fourth quarter deficit of 13-plus points, the first being versus the Falcons in Super Bowl LI when the Patriots came back after being down 28–3 to win in overtime.[485]
In Week 17, against the Panthers, he passed for 432 yards and three touchdowns in the 30–24 victory.[486] In Week 18 against the Falcons, Brady broke his own NFL record for completions in a season, as well as Matthew Stafford's 2012 record for pass attempts in a season.[487] However, the Buccaneers lost 30–17, giving Brady his first career losing season as the starter.[488] 2022 marked the first season in which Brady lost eight or more games.[489] Brady was pulled in the second quarter to prevent injury, as the Buccaneers had clinched their playoff position the previous week by winning the NFC South.[490] Against the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round, Brady passed for 351 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in the 31–14 loss.[491] In the loss, Brady set postseason single-game franchise records for pass attempts (66) and pass completions (35).[492][493] The loss to the Cowboys marked the first time since 2013 that Brady lost in the playoffs in consecutive seasons.[8]
Retirement
On February 1, 2023, Brady announced on social media that he was retiring "for good".[494] He filed his retirement papers with the NFL and NFLPA nine days later, making Brady eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame starting in 2028.[495]
On May 11, 2023, Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced on NFL Network's Good Morning Football that the franchise would officially honor Brady with a homecoming appearance during the Patriots' week one game of the 2023 season, featuring a special halftime ceremony. Kraft stated that "it will be the beginning of many celebrations to honor [Brady] and say thank you for what he did for us in 20 years playing for the [Patriots]."[496][497][498]
During the Week 1 halftime ceremony on September 10, 2023, Kraft announced, exclusively for Brady, that he would waive the traditional four-year post-retirement waiting period required for his candidacy to the Patriots Hall of Fame, as well as directly inducting him without the customary ballot. His induction took place on June 12, 2024 (the date chosen in reference for the number of championships Brady won in New England, as June is the sixth month of the year, combined with his jersey number representing the day), in the first ever Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony to take place within Gillette Stadium.[499][500] Brady was also the first person in Gillette Stadium history to become a "Keeper of the Light", ringing the bell in the newly redesigned lighthouse.[501][502] With his family in attendance, along with current and former members of the Patriots, Brady delivered a heartfelt speech in front of the crowd, declaring: "All our lives take us on different journeys, they take us to different places, they bring different people into our lives, but one thing I am sure of — and that will never change — is that I am a Patriot for life."[503][504]
On June 12, 2024, prior to Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Governor of MassachusettsMaura Healey declared the day of June 12 officially "Tom Brady Day" in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.[505] In the presence of his entire family, former teammates, coaches, friends, as well as a crowd of over 60,000 fans at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots celebrated Brady's career with the franchise in a dedicated three hour event. After multiple speaker panels and video tributes, he was inducted as the 35th member of the Patriots Hall of Fame. In addition to his induction, Kraft announced that the franchise would formally retire Brady's number 12 jersey, which had not been reissued since his departure, in addition to revealing that a 12-feet-tall statue of Brady was being constructed to be placed surrounding the plaza of the Patriots Hall of Fame building, to forever honor his legacy as a Patriot.[506]
Broadcasting career
On May 10, 2022, Fox Sports announced that Brady would join the network as the lead color commentator.[507] Brady's deal with Fox will reportedly pay him $375 million over 10 years, making Brady the highest paid sports commentator in history.[10] Brady began his role for NFL on Fox alongside play caller Kevin Burkhardt starting with the 2024 NFL season, and he is scheduled to be a part of the Fox broadcast team for Super Bowl LIX.[508]
However, the NFL has put several restrictions on Brady after he submitted a bid to become part owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. Brady may not attend in-person or online broadcast production meetings, nor is he allowed to have access to team facilities, coaches, or players. He also must follow rules in the NFL constitution and bylaws that prohibit owners or prospective owners from publicly criticizing game officials and other teams.[509]
Brady holds nearly every record in career, single-season, and single-game passing statistics for the Patriots (regular season and playoffs), in addition to having the most total games played with the franchise
On January 20, 2016, Brady announced the launch of his peak performance website TB12Sports.com. The site features Brady's training regimen information and includes a store to purchase TB12 equipment and merchandise.[577] On August 23, 2016, the TB12 brand expanded to offer a snack line.[578] The following month, Brady, alongside Boston Private and Robert Paul Properties, announced the formation of the TB12 Foundation, a nonprofit to provide free post-injury rehabilitation care and training to underprivileged young athletes.[579] In March 2017, Brady partnered with meal-kit startup Purple Carrot to offer TB12 Performance Meals. The meals utilize whole foods and focus on providing nutrients for workout recovery.[580][581] On September 19, 2017, Simon & Schuster published Brady's first book The TB12 Method: How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance. Within 48 hours, it had become a number one best-seller on Amazon.com.[582] The book also reached No. 1 on The New York Times' weekly Best Sellers list.[583]
Filmmaker Gotham Chopra filmed Brady during the 2017 off-season and regular season for a Facebook Watch documentary series entitled Tom vs Time. According to The New York Times, the documentary follows Brady as he "conducts his ongoing subversion campaign against the actuarial tables of quarterback longevity."[584] He launched a production company, 199 Productions, in 2020.[585]
In 2021, Brady and Richard Rosenblatt co-founded a sports-based NFT platform called Autograph.[586] Autograph reached a deal with DraftKings for exclusive distribution on Autograph's sports products, creating the DraftKings Marketplace.[587] In January 2021, Autograph announced it raised $170M in funding led by Andreessen Horowitz and Kleiner Perkins.[588] In 2023, the company announced layoffs for nearly a third of its workforce.[589]
Also in 2021, Brady, among other high-profile athletes and celebrities, was a paid spokesperson for FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange. In November 2022, FTX filed for bankruptcy, wiping out billions of dollars in customer funds and Brady's stake in the company. He, alongside other spokespeople, is currently being sued for promoting unregistered securities through a class-action lawsuit.[590][591][592] In February 2022, the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a lawsuit against Bitconnect that the Securities Act of 1933 extends to targeted solicitation using social media.[593] In 2023, it was reported Tom Brady owned 1,144,861 common shares in FTX, and he and his wife lost an estimated combined value of $45 million when FTX went bankrupt.[594]
Brady has participated in The Match—an exhibition and charity golf event featuring professional golfers and other athletes—in 2020, 2021, and 2022.[595][596][597]
In 2022, Netflix announced that Brady would be featured in a series of upcoming specials called "Greatest Roasts of All Time: GROAT." Brady is the executive producer of the series.[598] The special was titled, The Roast of Tom Brady and aired on Netflix live on May 5, 2024.[599] The event drew two million live viewers and was the sixth most-watched Netflix show that week despite only being available for less than half a day by week's end.[600]
On March 23, 2023, Brady purchased a minority stake in the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA from the team's majority owner Mark Davis. The same year, the Aces went on to win the WNBA Championship.[601] On August 3, 2023, he became a minority owner and chairman of a new advisory board at English club Birmingham City, in partnership with Knighthead Capital Management LLC.[602]
In May 2023, Brady and his business partner, Knighthead Capital Management co-founder Tom Wagner, entered into an agreement to purchase 10% of the Las Vegas Raiders from majority owner Mark Davis.[603] However, the original deal was initially delayed due to concerns from NFL owners that Brady was receiving too big of a discount from Davis.[604][605] On October 15, 2024, a revised agreement was unanimously approved by NFL owners, with Brady owning a 5% stake and Wagner also owning a 5% stake.[603]
On September 6, 2023, it was announced that Delta Air Lines had hired Brady as a strategic advisor.[606] In January 2024, Brady agreed to merge his health and apparel brands with NoBull and to become its second largest shareholder.[607][608]
Brady dated actress Bridget Moynahan from 2004 until late 2006.[611] Brady and Moynahan ended their relationship in early December 2006, around the time Moynahan became pregnant.[612] On February 18, 2007, Moynahan confirmed to People magazine that she was more than three months pregnant with Brady's child.[611] Their son, John Edward Thomas "Jack" Moynahan,[613] was born in August 2007.[614]
Brady began dating Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen in December 2006.[615][616] Brady and Bündchen married on February26, 2009, in a Catholic ceremony at St. Monica Catholic Church in Santa Monica, California.[617] Together, they have two children: a son, Benjamin Rein Brady, born in December 2009,[618] and a daughter, Vivian Lake Brady, born in December 2012.[619]
In October 2022, the couple announced on Instagram that they had finalized a divorce.[620] Brady and Bündchen's marriage had been the subject of various tabloid rumors and speculation earlier in the year after Brady came out of retirement and Bündchen voiced her concern about the effect of the violent nature of football on Brady's long-term health.[621]
Brady is a friend of former President Donald Trump.[633][634][635] At a political event in New Hampshire on the day before the 2016 presidential election, Trump said he had received a call from Brady, and that Brady told him: "Donald, I support you, you're my friend, and I voted for you." However, after his wife was asked directly on Instagram whether she and Brady backed Trump, Bündchen answered "NO!"[636] After a Trump campaign "Make America Great Again" cap was photographed in Brady's locker, Brady said that Bündchen told him to not discuss politics anymore, which he thought was a "good decision."[637] Brady did not join the New England Patriots in visiting Trump at the White House in April 2017 after their Super Bowl victory, citing "personal family matters."[638]
In an interview with Howard Stern on The Howard Stern Show in April 2020, Brady explained that Trump had reached out to him to speak at the 2016 Republican National Convention, and that he declined, saying, "It was uncomfortable for me because you can't undo things, not that I would undo a friendship, but political support is totally different than the support of a friend." Brady said that he has known Trump since 2001 and that Trump asked him to be a judge in the Miss USA pageant, after Brady led the Patriots to victory in Super Bowl XXXVI. Brady explained that Trump used to come to Patriots games and would call him and golf with him occasionally. However, Brady said that he did not see the benefit of getting involved in an event as polarizing as a presidential election.[639] Brady reiterated in 2022 that he had not spoken with Trump in "years" and that his relationship with Trump had been mischaracterized by the media.[640]
While there has been speculation that Brady would run for political office,[641] in a 2015 interview he stated he had no interest in doing so.[642][643][644] Brady reiterated in 2022 that he would avoid a political career because, "I don't think anyone's fond of politics these days."[640]
Brady and his family adhere to his controversial, strict diet, the TB12 Method.[649] Brady advocates a daily water intake in ounces of half of one's body weight in pounds and personally consumes "a couple hundred ounces" daily.[650][651] He avoids most fruits, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, coffee, Gatorade, white sugar, flour, gluten, dairy, soda, cereal, white rice, potatoes, and bread.[652][653] In 2022, Brady said he prefers a diet consisting of organic food, saying, "You've got to see the process of food being grown [...] If I need nutrients, I need that from soil."[640]
↑ 2001–2007 and 2009–2019. Brady missed the majority of the 2008 season due to injury.[7][8]
↑ The Patriots are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers with six Super Bowl titles. All other individual and franchise records listed are held outright by Brady and the Patriots respectively.
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The Patriots play home games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is 22 miles (35 km) southwest of Boston. The franchise is owned by Robert Kraft, who purchased the team in 1994. As of 2023, the Patriots are tied for the third-most valuable sports team in the world and have sold out every home game since 1994.
Super Bowl XXXVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion St. Louis Rams and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2001 season. The underdog Patriots defeated the heavily favored Rams by the score of 20–17. It was New England's first Super Bowl championship, and the franchise's first league championship of any kind. The game was also notable for snapping the AFC East's long streak of not being able to win a Super Bowl championship, as the division's teams had lost 7 Super Bowls between the Miami Dolphins' victory in 1974 and the Patriots' 2002 win. This was the last Super Bowl to feature the St. Louis Rams; after relocating to Los Angeles in 2016, the Rams returned to the NFL's championship game in Super Bowl LIII, in which they were again defeated by the Patriots. The Rams would not win another Super Bowl until Super Bowl LVI, as the Los Angeles Rams, defeating the Cincinnati Bengals.
Super Bowl XXXVIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Carolina Panthers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2003 season. The Patriots defeated the Panthers by a score of 32–29. The game was played at Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas, on February 1, 2004. At the time, this was the most watched Super Bowl ever with 89.8 million viewers.
Peyton Williams Manning is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos. Manning is considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. A member of the Manning football dynasty, he is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, older brother of former NFL quarterback Eli Manning, and uncle of Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning. He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers, winning the Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm awards as a senior en route to victory in the 1997 SEC Championship Game.
Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2004 season. The Patriots defeated the Eagles by the score of 24–21. The game was played on February 6, 2005, at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, the first time the Super Bowl was played in that city.
Drew McQueen Bledsoe is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Washington State University, where he won Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year as a junior, and was selected by the Patriots first overall in the 1993 NFL draft. Considered the face of the Patriots franchise during his nine seasons with the team, Bledsoe helped improve New England's fortunes from 1993 to 2001. Under Bledsoe, the Patriots ended a seven-year postseason drought, qualified for the playoffs four times, clinched their division twice, and made a Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XXXI. He was also named to three Pro Bowls and became the youngest quarterback to play in the NFL's Pro Bowl game in 1995.
Daniel Constantine Marino Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and has worked with them since 2014 as a special advisor. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, earning first-team All-American honors in 1981. Marino was the last quarterback taken in the first round of the famed quarterback class of 1983. He held or currently holds dozens of NFL records associated with the quarterback position, and despite never being on a Super Bowl-winning team, he is recognized among the greatest quarterbacks in American football history.
The Colts–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots. As the Colts play in the AFC South and the Patriots are in the AFC East, the two teams do not play every year; instead, they play at least once every three years and at least once every six seasons at each team's home stadium due to the NFL's rotating division schedules during which their divisions are paired up, sometimes more often if the two teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions or meet in the playoffs.
Daniel James Amendola is an American former professional football wide receiver. He played college football for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2008.
Julian Francis Edelman is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He started playing college football at College of San Mateo and later transferred to play college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes as a quarterback and was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft by the Patriots, where he transitioned to a return specialist and wide receiver. Edelman became a primary offensive starter in 2013 and was a staple of the Patriots' receiving corps until his retirement after the 2020 season.
Robert James Gronkowski is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played his final two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is a four-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time first-team All-Pro selection, and was selected to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
James Calvin White is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers and was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft. White won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and appeared in 4. He set the Super Bowl records for receptions and points scored in Super Bowl LI and holds the record for the most receptions in a playoff game.
The Bills–Patriots rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots.
Christopher James Hogan is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football for the Monmouth Hawks following three years of college lacrosse with the Penn State Nittany Lions. Hogan was a member of five NFL teams, most notably the New England Patriots.
Super Bowl LII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2017 season. The National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles defeated the American Football Conference (AFC) and defending Super Bowl LI champion New England Patriots, 41–33, to win their first Super Bowl and their first NFL title since 1960, making the NFC East the first and currently only division where every team has won a Super Bowl. The game was played on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This was the second time that a Super Bowl was played in Minneapolis, the northernmost city to ever host the event, after Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome during the 1991 season. It was also the sixth Super Bowl held in a cold-weather city, although the stadium is indoors.
James Richard Garoppolo, nicknamed "Jimmy G", is an American professional football quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Eastern Illinois Panthers, setting multiple school records for career passing yards and passing touchdowns and winning the Walter Payton Award as a senior. Garoppolo was selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft by the New England Patriots, where he spent his first four seasons as Tom Brady's backup and was a member of two Super Bowl-winning teams.
The Tom Brady–Peyton Manning rivalry was a series of games that took place between 2001 and 2015 involving two quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL): Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. It is considered by many to be the greatest individual NFL rivalry of all time, and has been compared to other legendary sports rivalries, such as Magic–Bird in basketball, Ali–Frazier in boxing, and Messi–Ronaldo in association football.
Patrick Lavon Mahomes II is an American professional football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Mahomes has led the Chiefs to six consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances and four Super Bowl appearances since becoming the team's starting quarterback in 2018. He is one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to win three or more Super Bowls as a starter. Mahomes's career accolades through seven seasons in the NFL have earned him widespread praise from sports journalists, and he is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Super Bowl LIII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2018 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams, 13–3. The game was played on February 3, 2019, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and was the first Super Bowl played at the stadium.
The Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era, also known as the Brady–Belichick era, the New England Patriots dynasty, or the Patriots dynasty, was a sports dynasty of the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL) that lasted from the 2000 to the 2019 season. The dynasty is named after quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, who are regarded as among the greatest in their respective positions. Belichick and Brady are consistently credited with the Patriots' success and are considered responsible for one of the sport's longest and most dominant dynasties. They are also credited with helping to create and sustain the culture around the team, dubbed the "Patriot Way", where there is an emphasis on personal accountability, consistent improvement, and a focus on team success over personal gain.
1 2 Rosenberg, Michael (January 9, 2012). "Tom Brady As You Forgot Him". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on February 23, 2016. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
↑ Breiler, Christopher (February 7, 2021). "The Greatest Ever: Tom Brady Credits Michigan For Teaching Him How To Lead". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 9, 2021. Though there was little doubt before Sunday evening, Tom Brady cemented his legacy as the greatest NFL player of all-time on Sunday night as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs by a score of 31–9.
↑ "Bledsoe shuffles off to Buffalo". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. April 22, 2002. p.C1. Archived from the original on April 26, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2022.
↑ "NFL: Patriots clinch AFC East". The Mercury News. Associated Press. December 14, 2014. Archived from the original on April 30, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
↑ Adelson, Eric (May 11, 2015). "Tom Brady allowed the new NFL Way to smack Patriot Way in stunning fashion". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2019. Somewhere along the line, the debate over what happened in the hours and minutes leading up to the AFC championship game in January went beyond air pressure and weather conditions, and became a referendum on the character of Tom Brady and his franchise.
↑ Derjue, Amy (October 12, 2007). "Tom Brady: Stetson Man". BostonMagazine.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
↑ "Tom Brady". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 19, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
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