Brady's Legacy

Tom Brady and Super Bowls... it's like Forrest Gump and Jenny. They often run into each other through the unlikeliest of means, occasionally walking away unhappy, but more often than not, when the two get together, great things happen.

Brady has been to 4 Super Bowls, winning 3 of them. He won 3 Super Bowls in his first 4 seasons as a starting QB for the Patriots. That is something that has never been heard of. He hasn't been the best QB of his generation (that distinction goes to Peyton Manning), but nobody has been a more clutch performer. As he's matured, you can see the growth in the difference of his play too.

When Brady was starting out, he was the substitute for Drew Bledsoe. The "just don't blow us the game kid" type of player. After all, Belichick traded away Rohan Davey, NFL Europe's MVP, for some guy out of Michigan the Pats drafted in the 6th round. Offensive Coordinator Charlie Weis used him in that role too. The running game, led by Antwain Smith, was the focal point and Weis wanted the receivers in well designed plays, make a big play. There were a lot of short dump passes. A lot of screen plays. A lot of short misdirection throws. The short to mid throw (often 2-13 yards) were the kinds of throws Brady thrived at completing. Brady and the Patriots created a lot of success with this type of offense, but he was still a game manager as a rookie. Early on though, he still proved to be clutch. None of that was on better display against the St.Louis Rams in the Super Bowl of 2001.

As he matured, he improved. The offense began to run through him. The running game, even with a showy running back like Corey Dillon, was not the main strategy on offense. It was actually quite balanced. It helped win them two more Super Bowls. Writers and historians were comparing Brady to the likes of Joe Montana, Johnny Unitas, and Terry Bradshaw... all Hall of Fame QBs. In the meantime, Manning, with much better statistical numbers, was being compared to Dan Marino, the greatest QB to never win a Super Bowl.

After those first four seasons, Brady's numbers continued to improve. When the Patriots went out and grabbed Super Receiver Randy Moss as well as an unknown with massive potential in Wes Welker, Brady's numbers exploded! Suddenly, he was throwing the ball like Manning, the offense was clearly running through him, but the Super Bowl victories were elusive. In 2007, with an undefeated Patriots team, the 1st undefeated team to reach the Super Bowl since the '72 Dolphins, Brady suffered his 1st Super Bowl loss... to Peyton Manning's little brother, Eli... and Eli's New York Giants.

So here we are again. It's 2012. It's been 5 years. It's the New England Patriots versus the New York Giants. Brady is now in his 5th Super Bowl in 10 seasons as a starting QB, something pretty much unheard of. He's got to be the best QB of all time right?

In my opinion, if Brady wins this Super Bowl, unless Peyton Manning wins 3 more Super Bowls before he retires, TOM BRADY WILL BE THE GREATEST QB EVER. Yes, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw both have 4 Super Bowl rings. They are, however, both statistically trumped by Brady (not so much Montana as much as Bradshaw).

If Brady loses this Super Bowl, he will still be considered one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game, unless he makes it back there next season. No QB has ever been to the Super Bowl 6 times. Even if Brady loses that one, he'll be considered the greatest.

But IF he wins, it cements DYNASTY status for the New England Patriots (haven't missed the playoffs since 2008, when Brady got injured for the season.) IF Brady wins, there's no doubt that the kid from Michigan who came in because of a fluke injury to Pro Bowl and New England hero, Drew Bledsoe, will go down as not just the greatest QB in New England's history, but the greatest in the history of the NFL.

Juice