NFL: 30 greatest seasons from players 30 and older
By Tommy Jaggi
16. player. 47. . QB. New England Patriots. Tom Brady
NFL: 30 greatest seasons from players 30 and older: 16. Tom Brady, 2011
By most accounts, Tom Brady is going to go down as the greatest football player in NFL history when it’s all said and done. Surprisingly, coming off his age-43 season, he seems to be showing no signs of slowing down. Brady makes this list a few times, but I have his 2011 season coming in at number 16 of the 30 greatest seasons from NFL players age 30 and older.
In 16 games, Brady put together a terrific sample of work at the age of 34. His 42 total touchdowns and 5,235 passing yards helped the New England Patriots to a 13-3 record on the season. Brady’s fantastic season included a whopping 327 passing yards per game and an impressive 8.6 yards per attempt. He also pitched in a 105.6 passer rating and his biggest play included a 99-yard touchdown pass.
Unfortunately, things didn’t end as perfectly as they started. The Patriots breezed through the playoffs but were bested by Eli Manning and the New York Giants for the second time in the Super Bowl. Prior to that point, Brady helped his team to a 15-3 record and scored at least 30 points in 13 games.
Remarkably, this still wasn’t anywhere near Brady’s best season, but for any old NFL player, these numbers would have been career-bests. However, Tom Brady is a whole different animal and he proved that at the age of 34, he still had at least another decade of football in him.