The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/835590
Leading The Biggest Comeback Ever In The Super Bowl — For His Record-Tying Fifth Ring — Has Solidified Tom Brady As The G.O.A.T. THE GREATEST BY RYAN TICE After Tom Brady was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft — 199th overall — it was improbable to think he would ever emerge from being much more than a quarterback battle contestant like he was throughout his college career, let alone start under center on one Super Bowl-winning squad. Now, he's set an NFL record for quarterbacks with five rings and tied Hall of Fame defensive lineman Charles Haley for the most ever by any player. When Drew Bledsoe went down early in Brady's second year, it was even more unlikely to think the Patriots would have a shot at even sniffing the playoffs — their ninth-year starting quarterback was out and the next-best option was a little- thought-of newbie that was the seventh quarterback drafted one year earlier. After an 0-2 start with mostly Bledsoe under center, Brady led the team to wins in 11 of his 14 regular-season starts then piloted them to the franchise's first Super Bowl title. Two years later, he won his first of back-to-back championships. When Brady went through an injury of his own and was lost for the year in 2008, serious — and fair — doubts started to creep in about how much the then-three-time Super Bowl champ had left in the tank. Since returning from that torn ACL, Brady and the Patriots haven't missed the playoffs, while he has missed only the four 2016 games he was controversially suspended for Deflategate. After sitting out the first quarter of last season, the 39-year- old Brady returned to play at what might have been his highest level yet. He posted his best-ever touchdown-to-interception ratio (28-2) in the regular season then opened the playoffs with 671 passing yards and five touchdown throws in the club's first two games en route to his seventh Super Bowl appearance. On the sport's biggest stage, the Atlanta Falcons defense roughed him up in the first half while also returning a rare Brady interception for a touchdown to go into the locker room up 21-3 at the break. Brady and his Patriots were done. The dominating dynasty's magic had run out in deflating fashion … and then the Falcons struck first in the third quarter to go up by 25. ESPN's outcome probability gave Atlanta a 99.7 percent chance of winning at that point. That's when the wily veteran slipped into a phone booth, pulled on his cape and did what he always does in Super Bowls — put his team in position to win at the end. De- spite never leading in regulation, the Patriots outscored the Falcons 19-0 in the fourth quarter and opened overtime with a touchdown to seal Brady's "one for the thumb." Now, when the greatest quarterback in league history says he will play into his mid- 40s, it seems outlandish once again. But Brady has checked off everything else on this list — and now made a record six straight AFC Championship Games — no matter how ridiculous it might have seemed at first. What's next? He can only further ce- ment his status as the most success- ful NFL player ever — but at this point securing that title can't be considered de- fying the odds any longer. "Even before Tom Brady won his fifth Super Bowl, he was the greatest quarter- back of all time," NFL.com's Adam Schein wrote earlier this summer while dubbing Brady the NFL's G.O.A.T. regardless of position. "That said, the greatest QB of all time just had his great- est performance of all time. … Tom Brady is the best football player to ever play the game. "Nobody has enjoyed a more decorated career." PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS/KEITH NORDSTROM Patriots' Record With Tom Brady As Starter Year Regular Season Playoffs Total 2016 11-1 3-0 2015 12-4 1-1 2014 12-4 3-0 2013 12-4 1-1 2012 12-4 1-1 2011 13-3 2-1 2010 14-2 0-1 2009 10-6 0-1 2008 1-0 2007 16-0 2-1 2006 12-4 2-1 2005 10-6 1-1 2004 14-2 3-0 2003 14-2 3-0 2002 9-7 2001 11-3 3-0 2000 Did not start a game Totals 183-52 (.779) 25-9 (.735) 208-61 (.773) 14-1 13-5 15-4 13-5 13-5 15-4 14-3 10-7 1-0 18-1 14-5 11-7 17-2 17-2 9-7 14-3 Won Super Bowl Named Super Bowl MVP