Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr, otherwise known as Tom Brady, one of the greatest athletes of the 21st century, turns 46 today.
Infamously drafted in 2000 as the 199th pick, it appeared almost nobody had faith in his abilities nor did they see his potential but Brady bottled that all up and used it as motivation to prove every single doubter wrong. And, boy oh boy, did he do just that.
Tom Brady retired last year with seven Super Bowl rings, nine AFC Championships, one NFC Championship and one massive point proven. That list barely scratches the surface of the individual achievements but we’d be here forever if we started to list them.
Over the course of his illustrious career combining regular and postseason numbers, he threw for 89,214 yards, 7,753 completions and 649 touchdowns, accumulating 251 wins in the process. He has more yards, completions, touchdowns and wins than any other player in the history of the NFL. Not bad going for a sixth round draft pick nobody wanted.
His journey to the top was by no means simple. There was nothing given to him on a silver platter. There were no guarantees. The only thing that was for certain was Brady would bet on himself time and time again. Upon his first meeting with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Brady reportedly introduced himself and said “I’m the greatest decision this organisation has ever made”.
Brady himself argues this and tones down the confidence in the statement to “you’ll never regret picking me”. Regardless of what was actually said, the point remained clear: he knew exactly what he was capable of.
On 23rd September, 2001, in week two of the season, Brady was granted his opportunity as he stepped in at quarterback for an injured Drew Bledsoe and never looked back. His time at the New England Patriots was what many refer to as a dynasty, they just won and won and won. Even when they didn’t win, they were right up there with the rest. Sometimes, even when they were counted out, Brady found a way to come roaring back against all odds, including the infamous comeback against the Atlanta Falcons in 2017.
Nine Super bowl appearances and six Super Bowl wins later he left New England in 2019 to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Many doubted his ability to work as effectively or efficiently without Bill Belichick alongside him, so what did Brady do? He went and won another Super Bowl, guiding the Bucs to a blowout 31-9 victory against the Chiefs right there in Tampa’s very own backyard.
His legacy will remain in the game forever while his longevity will be admired as well as desired by those who seek to emulate him. Tom Brady spent 22 years playing at the highest level of the game and served as an inspiration to many of those who came after him. Thank you, Tom Brady. You truly are the GOAT.
