Opinion
Inside the amazing numbers that help define Tom Brady’s legacy
Quarterback Tom Brady’s legacy transcends the statistics he produced over a 22-season profession, however his data and achievements have set a bar that will probably be laborious to high.
Brady rewrote a lot of the NFL document ebook with private and workforce accomplishments that spanned 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and the final two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
One of many few objectives he didn’t attain? Leaving with back-to-back titles with the Bucs, however that doesn’t diminish his popularity as the best quarterback in NFL historical past.
Listed below are a few of the methods Brady left his mark on the sport and the explanations he’s thought of the GOAT.
22 NFL seasons (20 for Patriots, two for Buccaneers)
Most landing passes in NFL historical past (624)
Solely quarterback with 600 profession landing passes within the common season
Most passing yards in NFL historical past (84,520)
243 profession regular-season wins, most in NFL historical past
Most playoff wins in NFL historical past (35)
Thirty-five profession playoff wins are 19 greater than every other QB (Joe Montana was second with 16)
Most Tremendous Bowl appearances (10) and wins (seven) in NFL historical past
5-time Tremendous Bowl MVP, most in NFL historical past
All-time playoff chief in landing passes (86), passing yards (13,049) and completions (1,165)
Fifteen-time Professional Bowl choice, most in NFL historical past
Three-time NFL MVP (2007, 2010, 2017)
2009 Comeback Participant of the 12 months
Named to NFL 100 All-Time Group (one in all 10 QBs)
Second participant in NFL historical past to guide the league in each passing yards and passing TDs in his closing season. The opposite was Cecil Isbell, who did it for the 1942 Packers when there have been 10 groups within the league.
Brady’s career-high 5,316 passing yards and 43 passing TDs are essentially the most by a participant of their closing season in NFL historical past.
Ninety-two completely different gamers caught a landing from Brady, together with within the playoffs. That’s essentially the most completely different targets on touchdowns in NFL historical past.
First participant to win NFL championships in three completely different a long time (Elias)
First QB to start out a Tremendous Bowl win for a workforce in each conferences
First participant in NFL historical past to win a number of titles after turning 40 (Elias)
Fourth participant in NFL/MLB/NHL/NBA historical past to win a number of titles after turning 40 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Enos Slaughter, Jack Quinn have been the others)
Second QB to win Tremendous Bowl in first season with workforce (Trent Dilfer was the primary in 2000)
Brady has extra Tremendous Bowl wins than any franchise all-time (Patriots and Steelers have six every, 49ers and Cowboys have 5 every). As well as, Brady has 35 profession postseason wins, greater than 29 lively franchises (all aside from the Patriots, Steelers, and Packers).
Brady is the oldest participant to win a championship-round MVP in NFL/NBA/MLB/NHL historical past, per Elias. He’s additionally the oldest participant (43) to ever seem in a Tremendous Bowl.
Brady threw for 74,571 yards and 541 touchdowns with the Patriots, which each rank as essentially the most for a single workforce in NFL historical past.
Together with playoffs, Brady’s 135 wins and 304 touchdowns at Gillette Stadium have been essentially the most by any QB at one stadium in NFL historical past. The one different QB with 100-plus wins at one stadium together with the postseason is John Elway at Mile Excessive Stadium (104).
Brady and Patriots coach Invoice Belichick made 9 Tremendous Bowl appearances in 20 seasons collectively, which is greater than every other workforce throughout NFL historical past. They’ve additionally mixed to register essentially the most Tremendous Bowl appearances and wins by a beginning QB-head coach mixture in NFL historical past.
There has by no means been one other participant and head coach duo to spend 20 seasons collectively in NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB historical past. Their 249 wins together with the playoffs are essentially the most by any beginning QB-head duo all time.
Brady gained his closing league MVP award within the 2017 season when he was 40 years previous, turning into the oldest participant in NFL/NBA/NHL/MLB historical past to win league MVP honors. The one different 40-year-old to realize the feat is Barry Bonds in 2004. We’ll discover out if Brady will win his fourth MVP on Feb. 12.
Courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info.
