Tom Brady is often hailed as the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL. He has undeniably made his mark on the sport in his illustrious 23-season career. In his time there, he’s won seven Super Bowl championships. All of which made him the most titled player in history for having won 43 titles. The last he ventured, with the New England Patriots. Later, he closed it out with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, showing his greatness by succeeding in diverse landscapes. With Andres’ retirement approaching the glory days of football, we honor his remarkable and heroic accomplishments. He became the first quarterback in National Football League history to pass for 100,000 yards between the regular season and playoffs combined.
Brady’s trademark approach to the game has been defined by superior decision-making and a dogged unwillingness to settle for anything less than the best. He’s known for his poise and leadership. By virtue of his almost superhuman capacity to enhance the performance of those around him, he won five Super Bowl MVP awards. He has great numbers to back it up. He now ranks fifth all-time in fourth-quarter comebacks and tied for third in game-winning drives, further establishing his legacy as one of the sport’s best.
Through the years, Brady’s mindset has been not just to make plays, but to protect his team. Under the guidance of coaches like Bill Belichick, he developed an understanding of what it takes to succeed at the highest level. Belichick noted, “With Tom, through his decision-making, preparation, the numbers are just historical in terms of fewest turnovers… that’s one of the greatest — he always protected the team.”
The Record-Breaking Achievements
As the all-time leader in just about every quarterback-related record, the legacy of Tom Brady as one of the greatest football players of all-time is already cemented. He recently became the first player ever to reach 100,000 passing yards. He retired with an incomprehensible 102,614 yards. With that, Brady joined an elite group of quarterbacks. Today he joins the likes of Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre in the 500-touchdown pass club.
His capacity to perform when the stakes are highest has long been a feature of his career. He’s fifth in fourth-quarter comebacks (36) and tied for third (53) in game-winning drives. These numbers primarily serve to highlight his elite ability. They underscore his untainted focus on winning at all costs, even if that meant cheating.
Brady’s attitude has always been about stretching the field. He famously stated, “I’m going for 25 because I can make that throw,” demonstrating his confidence and ability to capitalize on opportunities. This mentality has been the beating, propulsive underpinning of his success over the course of his career.
A Legacy Built on Excellence
When you look at the entirety of Tom Brady’s career, he was the epitome of an elite quarterback. It was his meticulous attention to detail and fierce passion for quality that separated him from the rest. Raheem Morris highlighted Brady’s attributes by stating, “Poise, leadership, attention to detail… finding ways to execute it.”
No one could ever question Brady’s work ethic. He was always the first one in the locker room, creating a culture of excellence in preparation. Cameron Jordan remarked on this aspect of Brady’s character, stating, “He’d be the first one in the locker room… even in later years when he wasn’t throwing every ball, you could still see him with a towel in practice making each and every mental completion.”
This commitment to the craft has gone on to inspire generations of players who tried to mirror his work ethic while playing a game. As Warren Moon once said of Tom Brady’s path to success, it started with that chip on the shoulder. He wasn’t recruited a lot coming out of high school, and that stoked his drive. This motivation drove him to succeed at every chance he got.
Remembering Tom Brady
And as Tom Brady hangs up his cleats for good, the legacy he leaves on the game continues to be felt. His achievements have forever altered the standards by which quarterbacks will be judged. Beyond this, they’ve created new standards that future players will be aiming to achieve. With no other player ever winning more Super Bowl championships than Brady, his legacy is locked in place as a standard for greatness.
His former coach with the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, hailed Brady’s extraordinary impact on the game. He walked us through all the ways Brady took complete control of the quarterback position. “The thing about Tom that I think is so impressive… is he avoided bad plays,” Belichick noted. In other words, Brady has learned how to make you reduce errors and increase output. This astonishing skill now cements his legacy as one of the true icons of sporting history.
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