tom brady

Brady graduated from Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, California, the same school that produced baseball player Barry Bonds and NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann. Brady attended the University of Michigan and led Michigan to an Orange Bowl victory in the 1999 season. In the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady was selected by the New England Patriots in the 6th round (199th overall). Widely regarded as one of the best playoff quarterbacks of his era^[1], Brady has won three Super Bowls, two Super Bowl MVP awards, and been selected for three Pro Bowls; all with the Patriots. Additionally, Brady was Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year in 2005.

Early years

Born near San Francisco in San Mateo, California, Brady would be regularly taken to see the 49ers play in the 1980s, where he became a fan of quarterback Joe Montana. Since that time, Brady has mentioned Montana as one of his inspirations and an idol.^[2]

After playing catcher in high school, Brady was drafted in the 18th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft by the Montreal Expos.

He played college football for and graduated from the University of Michigan, sitting on the bench his first two years; including a year as understudy to fellow UM teammate and future NFL quarterback Brian Griese who led the Wolverines to the 1997 National Championship. When he enrolled at Michigan, Brady was seventh on the depth chart and had an intense struggle to get some playing time. At one point, Brady hired a sports psychologist to help him cope with frustration and anxiety and even considered transferring, frustrated by what seemed like a lack of opportunity.^[3] Brady battled for the first string quarterback position with Drew Henson and ultimately started every game in the 1998 and 1999 seasons under Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr. He was All-Big Ten both seasons and team captain his senior year. The Wolverines won 20 of 25 games when Brady started and shared the Big Ten Conference title in 1998. Brady capped that season off with a win over Arkansas in the Citrus Bowl. In the 1999 season, Brady led Michigan to an overtime win in the Orange Bowl over Alabama, throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns.

NFL career

2001 season

After being selected in the 6th round of the 2000 Draft, Brady served as the backup quarterback to Drew Bledsoe, going 1-for-3 during the season for 6 passing yards. His role changed on September 23, 2001, when the Patriots were playing against their AFC East division rivals, the New York Jets at Foxboro Stadium. During that game, Drew Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding after colliding with Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. New England lost both the game and Bledsoe. Soon after Brady was named the starting quarterback. In his first two games, Brady's quarterback ratings were unspectacular, at 79.6 and 58.7 respectively, in a 44-13 victory over the Indianapolis Colts (in the Colts' last season in the AFC East) and a 30-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins. ^[4]. However, during a mid-season matchup at Indianapolis, Brady passed for a career-high regular season rating of 148.3 in a 38-17 win.^[4] Brady helped bring the Patriots to an 11-5 record and into the playoffs. He also passed for his third highest single season rating (86.5).^[4]

During a 2001-2002 divisional playoff game against the Oakland Raiders (played in January 2002), Tom Brady had been ruled as having fumbled on a pass attempt, with Oakland protecting a three-point lead. Citing the controversial "tuck rule," where a ball is ruled an incomplete pass after the quarterback starts any forward throwing motion, referee Walt Coleman overturned the decision after reviewing the instant replay, calling the drop an incomplete pass rather than a fumble. Fellow Michigan Wolverine Charles Woodson, was the player who made the sack. Brady, who threw for 312 yards in his first NFL playoff game, led the Patriots back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit and engineered the winning drive in overtime to beat the Raiders. Brady was injured in the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was relieved by Bledsoe. The Patriots won the game and were immediately instituted by Las Vegas oddsmakers as 14-point underdogs against the NFC champion St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. There was considerable national debate as to who should start in the Super Bowl for the Patriots: on the one hand, Brady had started every game in which the Patriots won during the year; on the other hand, Bledsoe was the year's starting quarterback and only lost his job via injury; moreover, Bledsoe was effective in relieving Brady in the AFC Championship game. Coach Bill Belichick was coy in his decision-making but eventually chose Brady to start the Super Bowl.

With less than two minutes left in the Super Bowl, and the score tied, sportscaster John Madden said that he thought the Patriots should let the time run out on the clock and look to win the game in overtime. Instead, Brady drove the Patriots offense down the field. The Patriots won the game on an Adam Vinatieri field goal as time expired. Brady was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXVI while throwing for 145 yards and 1 touchdown.

2002 season

Tom Brady and the Patriots finished the year at 9-7, tied with the New York Jets and the Miami Dolphins for the best record in the division. However, the Jets won the division on the third tiebreaker, and the Patriots missed the playoffs.

Although posting a career-low single-season rating of 85.7, Brady threw for a league-leading 28 touchdown passes, though his 14 interceptions ties his worst total.^[4] Moreover, at Buffalo, Brady threw for a quarterback rating of 147.6, the second highest of his career.^[4] Furthermore, Brady played much of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury, and New England head coach Bill Belichick has since indicated that if the Patriots had made the playoffs, Brady would not have been able to play in the first game due to that injury. Brady continues to suffer from shoulder complications, but it has not led to a missed start.

2003 season

In the 2003-2004 NFL season, after a 2-2 start, Brady led the Patriots to 12 consecutive victories to finish the season and win the AFC East. Statistically, Brady's strongest game of the season was against Buffalo, when he achieved a season-high quarterback rating of 122.9.^[4]

In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. On February 1, 2004, Brady led the Patriots to a 32-29 victory over the NFC champion Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time. During the game, Brady set the record for most completions by a QB in the Super Bowl (32). With 1:08 left in the fourth quarter and the score tied at 29, Brady engineered a drive to put the Patriots in position for the game-winning field goal.

2004 season

During the 2004-2005 season, Brady helped the Patriots set an NFL record with 21 straight wins dating from the previous year. New England's 14-2 record matched that of the 2003-04 season and equalled the best record ever for a defending champion. The Patriots also won the AFC East divisional title for the third time in four years. In the AFC playoffs, Brady led the Patriots to victories over the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brady played his best game of the year in Pittsburgh despite requiring IV treatment the previous night when he had a temperature of 103 degrees. Against the NFL's best defensive team, Brady recorded a quarterback passer rating of 130.5, his highest of the season.^[4] 2004 also served as Brady's best year statistically; his rating, at 92.6, was a career high.^[4]

On February 6, 2005, the Brady-led Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl XXXIX for their third NFL championship in four years.

2005 season

During the 2005-2006 season, the Patriots were forced to rely more on Tom Brady's passing due to injuries suffered by running backs Corey Dillon, Patrick Pass, and Kevin Faulk. Brady also had to adjust to a new center and a new running back: Heath Evans. The results were positive; Brady finished first in the league with 4,110 passing yards and third in the league with 26 touchdowns. At 92.3, his 2005-2006 passer rating was the second highest of his career, although he tied his worst interception total (14).^[4] He also rushed for 89 yards and fumbled a career-low 4 times.^[4] Brady and the injured Patriots finished with a 10-6 record and obtained their third straight AFC East title. Some of the highlights of the season included another game with the Steelers, in which Brady helped lead the team on the game winning drive. When the Patriots visited the Atlanta Falcons, Brady achieved a regular season-high rating of 140.3.^[4] It was the fourth highest regular season single-game quarterback rating of Brady's career.

In the playoffs, Brady led the Patriots to a 28-3 victory over Jacksonville in the Wild Card Round. However, on January 14, 2006, the Patriots lost 27-13 against the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field. Brady threw for 346 yards in the game and a touchdown with two interceptions. It was the first playoff loss of Brady's career. After the season's end, it was revealed that Brady had been playing with a sports hernia since December. Linebacker Willie McGinest commented on it and said he knew, but Brady continued on playing. This is the main reason Brady did not go to the Pro Bowl when he was invited.^[5]

Despite not playing in the game, Brady was present at Super Bowl XL, as the official coin tosser and as part of a celebration of Super Bowl MVP Award winners.

2006 season

The Patriots had a successful regular season earning the 4th seed in the AFC playoffs. After beating the Jets and upsetting the number 1 seeded Chargers, the Patriots lost to their arch-rival Indianapolis Colts 38-34 in the AFC Championship game. Brady threw a critical interception in the final minute of the game that sealed the victory for Indianapolis.

Personal life

Brady dated actress Bridget Moynahan from 2004 until late 2006. [1]

In early 2007, Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen was seen waiting outside the Patriots locker room at Qualcomm Stadium after the Patriots' 24-21 victory over the San Diego Chargers. In the past she was asked what she thought of Brady. She replied, “Tom Brady, definitely not too shabby. He’s pretty cute. All-American, that’s a good way to describe him.” [2]

Career regular-season stats (as of December 31, 2006)

Notable accomplishments

All statistics and accomplishments courtesy of NFL.com^[4] or Patriots.com.

Statistics

Personal records

• Highest single-game quarterback rating: 148.3 (at Indianapolis, October 21, 2001)
• Highest single-season quarterback rating: 92.6 (2004-2005 season)
• Highest career quarterback rating against a team: Atlanta Falcons (140.4)
• Lowest interception total, season (minimum 2 starts): 12 (2001, 2003, 2006)
• Highest interception total, season (minumum 2 starts): 14 (2002, 2004, 2005)

21-game win streak statistics (including postseason)

• 690 passes attempted
• 412 passes completed
• 4,953 passing yards
• 34 passing touchdowns
• 13 passes intercepted
• 53.07 passing attempts per interception
• 59.71 completion rate
• 90.3 passer rating

2005 regular season

• 92.3 quarterback rating (2nd highest of career)
• 4110 passing yards, (1st in the NFL)
• 26 passing touchdowns (3rd in the NFL)
• 14 interceptions
• 530 passes attempted
• 344 passes completed
• 63.0% completion rate

Career (as of 31 December 2006)

• 80-25 record as a starter (.762 winning percentage)
• 105 total games started (including playoffs)
• 107 total games played (including playoffs)
• 37.85 passing attempts per interception
• 7-0 in overtime games
• 10-1 in dome stadiums
• 20-4 vs NFC teams

Post-season records and statistics

• NFL record for most consecutive wins in post season: 10 (broke record of Green Bay's Bart Starr).
• Most consecutive post season wins (college and professional combined): 12
• 12-2 record in the post-season
• 367 passes attempted
• 225 passes completed
• 2493 passing yards (226.6 ypg)
• 19 passing touchdowns
• 8 passes intercepted
• 3 Pro Bowls
• 2 Super Bowl MVP awards
• 3 Super Bowl victories
• Most completions in a Super Bowl (32 in Super Bowl XXXVIII)