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NFL: 30 of the biggest what-ifs in NFL history

By Hans Themistode

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - AUGUST 24: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts on the sidelines during the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - AUGUST 24: Andrew Luck #12 of the Indianapolis Colts on the sidelines during the preseason game against the Chicago Bears at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 24, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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Tom Brady (L) and Drew Bledsoe (R)
Tom Brady (L) and Drew Bledsoe (R) (Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP) (Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /

NFL: 30 of the biggest what-ifs in NFL history: 2. Drew Bledsoe doesn’t get hurt

There’s nothing funny about a player getting injured. But, in the case of the New England Patriots, they couldn’t have been happier.

After Drew Bledsoe was taken the first overall pick by the New England Patriots in 1993, he actually had several quality years under his belt with the team. With that said, Bledsoe is of course, more known for introducing the world to Tom Brady. When Bledsoe went down early in the 2001 season, Brady stepped in and showed out.

Ultimately, Brady is considered the greatest player of all time but what if Bledsoe never went down in the first place? Despite being considered a bust, Bledsoe was a terrific player. He consistently threw for over 4,000 yards and remained amongst the league leaders in terms of touchdowns thrown. There was no indication that Brady was in the Patriots immediate plans and considering that he was taken in the sixth round, there’s reason to believe the team didn’t believe he was the quarterback of the future as well.

Even after Bledsoe moved on to another team once Brady was fully entrenched as the starter, he still had several high-quality years in the league. The truth is, if Bledsoe hadn’t gotten hurt, it’s likely that Brady would have remained glued to the bench and quite possibly, for the entirety of his career.

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