Twenty-five years ago this Wednesday, a sixth-round pick with a modest resume took his first snap as the New England Patriots’ starting quarterback. Tom Brady never gave the job back.
So how did the NFL’s greatest of all time earn that first start?
While Brady’s NFL career is beyond impressive with numbers that will be hard to beat, Brady was not hot off the press in terms of getting drafted on day one or two of the 2000 NFL Draft. Brady was selected by the New England Patriots as the 199th pick in the sixth round, making him the sixth quarterback taken.
As Brady’s NFL resume supersedes any player in the league – even four years retired – his introduction to the league came when his team needed him most. Brady’s first official appearance for New England came in 2001 when starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe suffered a fourth-quarter injury against the Jets.
Tom Brady finished his NFL career as a seven-time Super Bowl champion. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
On the road at the New York Jets, Bledsoe was rushing for a fourth down when Jets linebacker Mo Lewis bulldozed into Bledsoe and suffered a chest injury that sent him to the locker room. With Bledsoe unable to return, it was Brady’s turn to lead the Patriots’ offense. Despite the loss and Brady’s 5-of-10 completions for 46 yards, the keys had been handed to Brady under center.
Brady’s first official start came on Sept. 30, 2001 against the Colts, when the Patriots outlasted Peyton Manning and the Colts 44-13. Brady’s stat line was pedestrian that night, going 13-for-23 in the air for 186 yards and no touchdowns, but it was the start of a new era in New England.
With Brady under center, the Patriots went on to compile an 11-3 regular season record and a Super Bowl title over the Rams. New England took down the Raiders in the AFC Divisional round, which famously became known as “The Tuck Rule” game. After Brady lost the ball in the fourth quarter, which was returned for a game-winning touchdown, the call was overturned due to the “tuck rule,” stating Brady’s arm was still in forward motion when he was tackled.
After a 24-17 win over the Steelers in the AFC Championship game, when Bledsoe took over for Brady after an ankle injury mid-game, New England reached Super Bowl XXXVI against the St. Louis Rams. Despite quarterback Kurt Warner throwing for over 400 yards, Brady and the Patriots topped the Rams 20-17.
After one season in Tampa Bay, Tom Brady led the Buccaneers to a 31-9 Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. (Photo by Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Following New England’s historic Super Bowl win, Brady went on the become the NFL’s most decorated signal-callers. Brady’s achievements include being a seven-time Super Bowl champion between the Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with being named Super Bowl MVP five times. Brady was also named a three-time NFL MVP with 15 Pro Bowl nods and still leads the NFL in passing yards with 89,214 yards.
Brady was then inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2024 and will be eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame in 2028.
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