New England Patriots: The Tom Brady dynasty began
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is widely considered the best to ever play the game. It’s hard to argue against that, as he’s now won six Super Bowls, which is more than any other quarterback.
He’s also still going strong into his 40s when most his age have already hung up their cleats and moved onto the next chapter in their lives. Seeing what all he’s accomplished, it’s hard to remember that there was a time when the average fan had no clue who Brady was.
A sixth-round pick out of Michigan, Brady split time in college with former baseball player Drew Henson. He then spent his rookie season behind Drew Bledsoe and watched, as the team went 5-11. That also happened to be the first season Bill Belichick was the head coach and not many had high expectations for them in their second season together.
Those expectations lowered more when Bledsoe was injured in Week 2. That offseason, he had just signed a 10-year extension (yes, a 10-year extension) and was giving way to the unheralded backup. Brady, however, was unphased by the task. He was able to complete 63.9 percent of his passes while leading the team to an 11-3 record.
He then guided them to a 3-0 record in the playoffs, which included a shocking win over the then-St. Louis Rams, who were one of the most feared teams in the league. This unsuspecting win just started one of the greatest eras in professional football, but there was no one who actually saw it coming.