Tom Brady

At 46 years old, Tom Brady has this physical status:

College career

Brady played college football at the University of Michigan from 1995 to 1999. Brady spent the next two years as a backup quarterback, while teammate and future NFL quarterback Brian Griese led the 1997 Wolverines to an undefeated season, highlighted by a victory in the Rose Bowl and a share of the national championship. Brady finished seventh on the depth chart when he first joined Michigan, and he had a difficult time getting some playing time. Brady used a sports psychologist to assist him with annoyance and fear; he even considered moving to Berkeley to play for the California Golden Bears. He worked closely with assistant athletic director Greg Harden, who met with Brady every week to help him grow his confidence and improve his game on the track. Brady said in 60 Minutes in 2014, "He will always be someone I can rely on for sound advice and mentorship." He has helped me with my own personal struggles in both sports and in life. Greg put me in a situation where I wasn't positive I could go."

Brady appeared in his first collegiate game against UCLA late in the fourth quarter on September 28, 1996. Phillip Ward intercepted his first pass attempt and returned for a 42-yard touchdown.

Brady fought for the starting position with Drew Henson and then started every game in the 1998 and 1999 seasons under Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr. Brady earned an All-Big Tention honorable mention in both seasons and as the team captain in his senior year.

He set new Michigan records for most pass attempts and completions in a season during his first full year as starter, totaling 214. In a 31–16 loss to Ohio State in 1998, he set a school record for completions, a season in which Michigan shared the Big Ten Conference crown. Brady won the Citrus Bowl by a 45-31 margin for the season.

Brady had to wait for Henson for the starting job in 1999. During the season's first seven games, Brady and Henson played the first quarter, Henson the second, and Carr eventually settled on a quarterback for the second half. The 1999 Michigan Wolverines got off to a 5–0 record, including a 26–22 victory over Notre Dame and a road victory over eventual powerhouse Wisconsin. Brady was not selected to play in the second half against Michigan State; however, he nearly led Michigan all the way back before losing 34–31. Carr went entirely with Brady for the remainder of the season after a 300-yard passing game the following week. Brady went on to help Michigan beat Penn State 31–27. He also led them out of a close match against Indiana, 34–31, as the champions of three straight games and earning him the moniker of "Comeback Kid."

Michigan finished the regular season against Ohio State; this was a thrilling game with a trip to the Orange Bowl on the line. Brady led Michigan to the winning score after five minutes remaining after tied 17-17. He led Michigan to an overtime victory in the Orange Bowl over Alabama, throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns, bringing the team up from two 14-point deficits in regulation (14–0 in the first half and 28–14 in the second). Shawn Thompson, who had lost the game after scoring on a bootleg to tight end. Michigan won the game after Alabama missed an extra point after its own touchdown.

Brady set a 20–5 record in two seasons as a Michigan man, including victories at the 1999 Citrus Bowl and the 2000 Orange Bowl. Brady finished his career with 710 attempts and 442 completions, fourth with 5,351 yards and 62.3 completion percentage, and fifth with 35 touchdown passes. He graduated from Michigan in December 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies.

Professional career

Brady was regarded with less respect going out of college, with an unimpressive NFL Scouting Combine result bolstering this image. As a result, he was not drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, ranking him 199th overall, and he was the seventh quarterback chosen. Brady's success as a passer has been attributed to his work ethic, perseverance, pocket watch, and intelligence.

Brady has played 371 games (324 regular season, 47 playoff), the most for an NFL quarterback. His first 20 seasons with the Patriots, the most for an NFL quarterback with a franchise. In 20 of his seasons, he has played as the primary starter in 20 of his seasons, while still playing a backup role in his rookie campaign and missing nearly all of 2008 due to a knee injury. Brady's absence from action due to injury was the only time he hasn't started because of injuries in the 2008 season. Brady has never had a losing season as the starter, and he only missed the playoffs in 2002, the first year he played in all 16 regular season games. Brady led the team to 17 AFC East titles with the Patriots. He led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a wild card berth in 2020, the first time his team did not qualify for the playoffs as a division champion or an NFC South champion.

Brady, the NFL's best quarterback, has played in 246 regular season games and 35 in the playoffs for a total of 281 games. Brady has a.764 winning percentage, the most among NFL quarterbacks to start 100 games. He is the only NFL quarterback to win 200 regular season games, and his 35 postseason victories are more than double those of any other quarterback. Brady is also the only NFL quarterback to win all 16 regular season games, which he did in 2007. Brady was one of the first four quarterbacks to beat all 32 NFL franchises in 2021. Brady has made the most Pro Bowl picks in NFL history at 15, and he has been named league MVP three times in 2007, 2010, and 2017. In a unanimous decision, his 2010 MVP was named; the first time this distinction was granted. Brady was also named Male Athlete of the Year in 2007, making him the third NFL player to be honoured, joining Joe Montana. He and Montana are the only two players to win multiple NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP awards.

Brady's 20 years as the primary starter have resulted in seven Super Bowl titles, the most of any player and more than any NFL franchise. He played in a record ten Super Bowls, in half of the seasons in which he was the primary starter and more than any NFL franchise other than the Patriots. Brady is the only starting quarterback for more than one franchise, with Brady winning six for the Patriots and one for the Buccaneers. Brady also set the Super Bowl MVP award record with five in his seven victories. Brady is the only player to win the award with multiple franchises after winning Super Bowl MVP awards with both New England and Tampa Bay.

Brady is the NFL leader in career passing yards, attempts, and touchdown passes in both the regular season and playoffs, holding nearly every major quarterback record. He is the first NFL quarterback to have 600 passing touchdowns in the regular season. Brady also has the best completion and postseason records for completions. He is the only NFL quarterback to have two separate starts of over 100 games in his 320 career. Brady's 111 consecutive starts from 2001 to 2008 ended due to his illness, and his 112 straight starts from 2009 to 2016 ended after he was suspended for the Deflategate controversy. His longevity has culminated in him smashing multiple age records in football. Brady is the NFL's oldest quarterback to be named Pro Bowl (age 44), be voted Super Bowl MVP (age 43), play in a Super Bowl (age 43), and be voted league MVP (age 40). He was the first player to be drafted before 2004 on an NFL roster as of the 2022 season.

Bill Belichick, the Patriots, Brady, and head coach Bill Belichick formed the NFL's most profitable quarterback-head coach team. They were consistently credited with the Patriots' dynasty from 2001 to 2019, resulting in the dynasty being referred to as the Brady–Belichick period after them. Brady's contribution to the Patriots' success in Super Bowl appearances (11) and wins (6, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers) is regarded as one of the best in sports history, with Brady assisting them in establishing the Patriots' records for Super Bowl appearances (11) and victories (6, tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers). Brady's first season as the primary starter in Super Bowl XXVI won the inaugural championship in the franchise's first season as the franchise's first champion, with further titles following in 2003 and 2004. During this stretch, the Patriots won 21 games (regular season and playoffs), while Brady won ten consecutive postseason games (also his first 10 postseason games), a new NFL record.

Brady remained one of the Patriots' perennial postseason favorites throughout his career, but the Patriots did not win another Super Bowl until a decade after their third. His next two appearances culminated in shocking defeats to the New York Giants; the first loss in 2007's Super Bowl XLII also prevented Brady and the Patriots from winning a perfect 19–0 season. Brady returned to his undefeated postseason form in 2014, when the Patriots defeated the Patriots to their fourth title in Super Bowl XLIX. Brady's third and sixth Super Bowl appearances from 2016 to 2018, which culminated in New England's fifth and sixth titles in Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII.

The team had not reached the postseason since 2007 and hadn't won a playoff game since 2002 when Brady signed with Tampa Bay in 2020. Brady aided in the Buccaneers' winning Super Bowl LV, bringing an end to both droughts. He set a new personal record for completions and led the team in passing yards and touchdowns in the 2021 season. His passing yards in the season were also high.

Brady, one of the NFL's most versatile and gifted players, has been dubbed the best quarterback of all time. He is also known as the NFL's greatest player and one of the best athletes in sports history.

In the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady was selected with pick number 199, a compensatory pick. Brady and his family hoped he'd be drafted in the second or third rounds; they watched the draft on television, stunned as six other quarterbacks were drafted before he was. Brady was so ashamed that he and the family were temporarily separated in the sixth round after an 11-year absence and weep. Brady later said that when the Patriots told him that he would be drafted, he was grateful that he did not "have to be an insurance salesman." The Patriots were considering Brady and Tim Rattay, both of whom had received rave reviews from then-quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein, according to Michael Holley's book Patriot Reign. In the end, Brady was chosen by the Patriots' front office. Many analysts have named Brady the best NFL draft pick of all time, considering his subsequent success. "I still have the picture of Tom Brady strolling the old Foxboro Stadium steps under his arm, a skinny beanpole, and when he introduced himself to me and said, 'I know who you are, you're Tom Brady,' he said. You're our sixth round draft pick,'" recalls Kraft. "I looked at me in the eyes and said, 'I'm the right call this company has ever made." It seems that he might be correct."

Brady debuted as the fourth-string quarterback, behind starter Drew Bledsoe and backs John Friesz and Michael Bishop; by the time of the season, he was the second on the depth chart behind Bledsoe. He was 1-for-3 passing for six yards in his rookie season. In a 34–9 loss to the Detroit Lions on November 23, tight end Rod Rutledge caught Brady's first and only completed pass of the season.

With Bledsoe as the starting quarterback, the Patriots began the 2001 season with a 23–17 road loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots and the New York Jets meet in their second game and home opener on September 23, the Patriots and their AFC East rivals, the New York Jets. Bledsoe was back for the starter in the fourth quarter after being struck by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. Bledsoe returned for the next series, but Brady was recalled for the Patriots' final series of the game. New York dominated 10-3, while the Patriots went 0–2 on the season. Brady was the starter for the season's third game, against the Indianapolis Colts, in which the Patriots won by 413-13.

Brady found his stride in the Patriots' fifth game. In the fourth quarter, trailing the visiting San Diego Chargers 26-16, he led the Patriots on two scoring drives to force overtime and another in overtime to set up a winning field goal. Brady played 33 of 54, for 364 yards and two touchdowns, and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career. Brady again excelled during the rematch against Indianapolis in 38–17, with a passer rating of 148.3. The Patriots went on to win eleven of Brady's games, six straight to finish the regular season, winning the AFC East and heading to the NFL playoffs with a first-round bye. He finished the 2001 season with 2,843 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, gaining an invitation to the Pro Bowl.

Brady threw for 312 yards against the Oakland Browns, leading the Patriots back from a ten-point fourth-quarter deficit to overtime, where they won on a Adam Vinatieri field goal. In the fourth quarter of the game, a controversial play was made. Brady lost control of the ball after being hit by the Raiders cornerback and former Michigan teammate Charles Woodson, who was trailing by three points. Oakland initially recovered the ball, but referee Walt Coleman overturned it on instant replay, finding it a incomplete pass rather than a fumble, citing the "tuck rule"—which states that any forward throwing motion by a quarterback starts a pass even if the quarterback loses possession of the ball as he tries to tuck it back to his body. Brady finished the game 32-of-52 for 312 passing yards and one interception.

Brady suffered his knee during the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Bledsoe was relieved by Bledsoe. The Patriots won the game by a score of 24–17. In Super Bowl XXVI, Las Vegas oddsmakers positioned them as 14-point underdogs against the NFC champion St. Louis Rams.

Brady recovered from his knee injury in the AFC Championship Game to begin in the Super Bowl a week later at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Despite being strong underdogs, the Patriots played well, keeping the Rams' high-powered offense in check through the first three quarters. The Rams fought back from a 170-3 deficit to tie the game with 1:30 left in regulation. With no timeouts remaining, the Patriots got the ball back to their own 17-yard line. According to sportscaster and former Super Bowl champion John Madden, the Patriots should clock clock and attempt to win the game in overtime. Rather, Brady led the Patriots' offense down to the Rams' 31-yard line before spiking the ball with seven seconds remaining. As time expired, kicker Adam Vinatieri converted a 48-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 20-17 victory and their first ever league championship. Brady was named Super Bowl MVP after throwing for 145 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions. Brady became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at the age of 24 years and six months, defeating Joe Namath (III) and Joe Montana (XVI). In April, Bledsoe was traded to the Buffalo Bills, establishing Brady's status as the Patriots' starting quarterback in 2002.

Brady had 294 passing yards and three touchdowns in the Patriots' 30–14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, his third AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. Brady and the Patriots finished the season 9–7, tied for the best record in the division with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins; however, the Patriots lost the division title to the Jets on tiebreakers. In addition, the Patriots lost the tiebreaker to the Cleveland Browns for the final wild card spot, effectively ending the Patriots from participating in the playoffs. Despite Brady's career-low single-season passer rating of 85.7 and a career-high of 14 interceptions, he threw for a league-leading 28 touchdown passes.

Brady led the Patriots to 12 straight victories in the AFC East after starting the 2003 season at 22-22. He made a 36-yard punt during Week 14, a 12–0 win over the Miami Dolphins. Brady finished third in NFL MVP voting to co-winners Peyton Manning and Steve McNair with 3,620 passing yards and 23 touchdowns.

The Patriots defeated the Tennessee Titans 17-14 in the Divisional Round after winning a first-round bye. They defeated the Indianapolis Colts 24-14 in the AFC Championship Game. Brady led the Patriots to a 32–29 victory over the NFC champion Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXVIII for the second time. Brady threw for 354 yards with three touchdowns and tied for the most touchdown completions in a Super Bowl with 32. Brady led the Patriots to a goal in the game-winning 41-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter and the score tied 29-29.

Brady played in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2004, setting a new NFL record of 21 straight wins dating from last year (but not counting playoff games). New England finished 14–2 on Sunday, equaling their 2003 record and the highest regular-season record for a defending champion. For the third time in four years, the Patriots also won the AFC East championship. Brady threw for 3,692 yards and 28 touchdowns, earning him his second Pro Bowl appearance.

Brady led the Patriots to victories over the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round by a margin of 20–3 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship by a score of 41–27. Despite requiring intravenous care in Pittsburgh the night before, Brady played his best game of the year, despite having a temperature of 103 degrees. He had a 30.5 quarterback rating against the NFL's best defense, his highest of the season. The Patriots barely beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX, their third championship in four years. They became the first franchise since the Dallas Cowboys played in this fashion. The 2004 New England Patriots were the last NFL team to win a second straight Super Bowl as of 2021. In the victory, Brady threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns.

During the 2005 season, running backs Corey Dillon, Patrick Pass, and Kevin Faulk forced the Patriots to rely more on Brady's passing. Brady was also required to adjust to new center Russ Hochstein and running back Heath Evans. Brady finished the season with 4,110 yards and 26 touchdowns, the former of which led the league. He and the Patriots won their third straight AFC East title, defeating the Bears in a 10–6 win. At the end of the season, he was named to his third Pro Bowl appearance.

Brady led the Patriots to a 28–3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round in the playoffs, despite 201 passing yards and three passing touchdowns. In the Divisional Round, the Patriots defeated the Denver Broncos 27–13. Brady threw for 341 yards in the first playoff loss of his career after ten consecutive victories. Brady had been playing with a sports hernia since December, according to a reporter who had been writing about him since the season's close.

Brady led the Patriots to a 12–4 record and their fourth seed in the AFC playoffs in 2006. Brady had 3,529 yards and 24 touchdowns on the regular season. He was not one of the Pro Bowl's first picks, but when San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was forced to leave, he was not among the first picks. Brady ultimately turned down the invitation.

In the Wild Card Round, the Patriots first hosted their division rivals, the New York Jets, for the first time in the postseason. Brady went 22–34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns as the Patriots defeated the Jets 37–16. In the Divisional Round, the Patriots traveled to San Diego to face the Chargers. This was Brady's first playoff game in his home state, California. Brady and the Patriots had a tough match against the Chargers, who many had guessed them as the favorite to win Super Bowl XLI. Brady and the Patriots got off to a crucial drive that would ultimately decide the game with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Patriots down by eight points. Brady made a fourth-down tackle to safety Marlon McClee during the drive, but wide receiver Troy Brown fumbled McCready to convert the first down. Brady threw a touchdown pass to Caldwell and Faulk tied the game with the two-point conversion after a new set of downs. Brady threw a 49-yard pass play to Caldwell, giving New England a 24–21 lead and 1:10 remaining on the Patriots' final drive. The Chargers rode down the field, but Nate Kaeding failed on a game-tying field goal attempt as the Patriots advanced to victory.

The Patriots appeared in the AFC Championship in Indianapolis, marking the third time the Patriots have played the Colts in four postseasons. At halftime, the Patriots led the Colts to a comeback; however, Peyton Manning led the Colts to a comeback. Brady converted a late-game intercept and the Patriots lost the game to the Colts by 38–34. Brady finished 21 of 34 for 232 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.

In the 2007 offseason, the Patriots acquired wide receivers Donté Stallworth, Wes Welker, Kelley Washington, and Randy Moss; tight end Kyle Brady; and running back Sammy Morris—Brady enjoyed one of the best seasons by a quarterback. Brady led the Patriots to their first 16-0 regular-season record in NFL history, defeating opponents by an average score of 37–17. In addition, he has held numerous career, company, and NFL records, as well as other milestones in the process. He was voted AFC Offensive Player of the Week five times this year. In a 48–27 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, he had a career-high five passing touchdowns. With 76, he tied him for the most starts ever by a starting quarterback in his first 100 regular-season appearances. He had another record day against the Miami Dolphins, resulting in another record set. He also had a stellar passer rating for his first game. He threw for another three touchdowns against the Indianapolis Colts, the ninth straight game in which he had played, breaking Peyton Manning's record of eight. Brady threw his 50th touchdown of the season against the New York Giants on Friday, breaking Peyton Manning's single-season record of 49 from 2004.

Brady ended the season with 4,806 passing yards, 50 touchdown passes, eight interceptions, and a career-best 117.2 passer rating. In 2013, ESPN named it the best passing season of all time by a unanimous vote. He had a 50:8 touchdown to interception ratio, which was then a NFL record. He was the first quarterback to pass for 50 touchdowns. He led the Patriots to their first undefeated regular season since the introduction of the 16-game schedule in 1978. He supervised an offense that had a total of 589 points and 75 touchdowns. The team's 50 total touchdown passes are the fourth-most ever in a season. Brady was named the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year for his efforts. The Associated Press named Joe Montana as their Male Athlete of the Year, the first time an NFL player since being named as the best in the nation in 1990. As a result of his outstanding season, he was named as a First-Team All-Pro and his fourth Pro Bowl appearance.

Brady started the game with a touchdown streak over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Patriots' first playoff game, a Divisional Round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and finished the game with 26 completions in 28 attempts, a completion rate of 92 percent. That was the highest single-game completion percentage (with at least 20 attempts) in NFL history, whether regular season or postseason. The Patriots defeated the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only team to win 17 consecutive games in a single season.

Brady did not fare as well in the AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers in statistical terms, throwing for 209 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Despite this, the Patriots won their 18th game of the season, 21–12, in order to advance to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven seasons. Brady, who won his 100th game of his career, also set a new NFL record for the fewest games a starting quarterback wants to do so: his 100–26 record is sixteen games better than Joe Montana's. Brady was heavily pressured in Super Bowl XLII against the New York Giants and was suspended five times. With a Brady touchdown to Moss with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Patriots took the lead in the fourth quarter, but the Giants were able to drive and score a last-minute touchdown to beat the Patriots 17-18, taking away what would have been the first perfect season since the NFL expanded its regular season to 16 games.

Brady's left knee was strained midway through the first quarter by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard's strike; Brady did not return and did not return to the game. The team later revealed that he would need surgery and that it would prematurely end his 2008 season. Brady tore both his anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament ligament. Brady's streak of 111 consecutive starts came to an end. Dr. Neal ElAttrache at the Los Angeles Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic underwent the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, as well as repair his medial collateral ligament graft through a separate incision in his left knee. Multiple times since the initial procedure, an infection in the wound resulted in more debridement surgery. Brady was given IV antibiotics for this disease, which, at the time, was likely to delay his recovery. Despite Brady's absence, the Patriots managed to post an 11-5 record in the 2008 season; however, the Patriots didn't win the AFC East division title for the first time since 2002.

Brady's first game in more than a year, he threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills in the 2009 season opener. The Patriots were down 24-13 before Brady and tight end Benjamin Watson connected on two straight touchdowns to lead the Patriots to a 25-24 victory.

Brady set a new NFL record against the Tennessee Titans in a quarter on October 18, 2009, to throw five in the second quarter. Brady had six touchdowns, tied for the fourth season, and 380 yards, totaling 29-of-34 attempts for a nearly flawless passer rating of 152.8. The Patriots' 59–0 win over the Titans tied for the most close win since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, tying a record for the first halftime lead in NFL history, which was 45–0.

Despite a fractured right ring finger and three fractured ribs, Brady finished the 2009 regular season with 4,398 yards passing and 28 touchdowns for a 96.2 rating, despite a broken right ring finger and three fractured ribs that were not sustained over the course of the season. He was selected as a reserve to the 2010 Pro Bowl and named the 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

In a 33-14 Wild Card Round loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Brady finished the 2009 season with 154 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. This was his first home playoff defeat and the Patriots' first home playoff loss since 1978.

Brady signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension on September 10, 2010, making him the highest-paid player in the league. The extension was worth $48.5 million in pledges.

Brady led his team to defeat the Miami Dolphins 41–14 on October 4, beating him to make 100 regular season victories. For the second time in his career, he received a perfect passer rating on November 25, in a game against the Detroit Lions. Brady's win over the New York Jets in the third week of the regular season, a record of 26 consecutive home victories over Brett Favre's record. On the season, Brady threw for 3,900 yards with 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Brady was selected as a starter for the 2011 Pro Bowl. However, he pulled out of the game (and was swapped with his former backup Matt Cassel, who later played for the Kansas City Chiefs), after suffering a stress fracture in his right foot dating back to 2008. Brady was also selected unanimously for the AP All-Pro Team and was named the 2010 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. For the second time in his career, he received the MVP award by unanimous decision. Brady was ranked as the best player in the NFL by his peers on the inaugural NFL Top 100 Players list.

The Patriots lost the Divisional Round, 28–21, after being ranked as the top seed and a bye week. Brady finished the game 29-of-45 for 299 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, snaping his NFL record of consecutive pass attempts without an interceptor at 340.

Brady threw for a career-high 517 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in a 38–24 victory over the Miami Dolphins, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for Week 1. He to Wes Welker for a record-tying 99-yard touchdown pass in the game. Brady would continue to have a productive season in the NFL, beating Dan Marino's record of 5,084 passing yards, finishing second in passing yards behind Drew Brees, who set a new record in the regular season. The Patriots lost 13–3 to clinch the AFC's #1 seed, securing the AFC's top seed. Brady was named to the Pro Bowl in the 2011 season and was voted fourth-best player in the NFL on the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2012 by his peers.

Brady led the Patriots to a 45-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, where he tied an NFL playoff record set by Daryle Lamonica and Steve Young by throwing for six touchdown passes. Brady and the Patriots head coach Bill Belichick were given sole possession of the NFL record for postseason victories by a quarterback-head coach pair with 15. Brady failed to throw a touchdown pass against the Baltimore Ravens for the first time in 36 games, though he did score a one-yard rushing touchdown late in the game. Brady and the Patriots beat Brady and the Patriots 23-20, giving Brady and the Patriots their fifth Super Bowl victory.

Brady and the Patriots fought the New York Giants in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII in Super Bowl XLVI. Brady was fined for deliberate grounding in the end zone on the Patriots' first offensive sequence, giving up a safety that gave the Giants a huge lead. Brady will rebound from this early blunder, leading a Super Bowl record-tying 96-yard touchdown drive to the end of the first half and hitting 16 straight passes to finish the third quarter, giving him a 20-of-23 mark. The Patriots could not hold a late lead and allowed Eli Manning to lead the Giants to a game-winning touchdown with less than a minute remaining, giving Brady his second consecutive Super Bowl defeat.

Brady appeared in all 16 regular season games of the 2012 season, leading the Patriots to a 12–4 record. Brady was the first quarterback to lead his team to ten division championships. The Patriots made history by beating the Patriots for the first time in a season four times, with Brady leading all four squads, also a record. He finished the season with 4,827 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, just eight interceptions, and a passer rating of 98.7. Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time in his career. Brady was ranked fourth by his peers in the second year as a member of the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

In the Divisional Round, Brady led the Patriots to a 41–28 victory over the Houston Texans. Brady won with the victory over Joe Montana for the most playoff appearances, totaling 17. In the AFC Championship, the Patriots were then defeated by the eventual Super Bowl XLVII champion Baltimore Ravens, 28-13. When leading by halftime, he was still 67–0, his first home loss in his career, but not at all.

Brady and the Patriots agreed on a three-year contract extension on February 25, 2013, which kept him with the team until 2017. Peter King, a sportswriter, called it a "amazing" offer, and added that it represented Patriots owner Robert Kraft's desire to guarantee that Brady retired as a Patriot.

The Patriots and Bradys began the season with a lot of upheaval on the offensive side of the game. Rob Gronkowski was wounded, and Aaron Hernandez was arrested. Wes Welker left the Denver Broncos, Danny Woodhead was left in a free agent for the San Diego Chargers, and Brandon Lloyd was suspended from the team. The Patriots cut Danny Amendola, drafted rookie wide receiver Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce, and rookie free agent wide receiver Kenbrell Thompkins in order to replace the five players. Brady made 52% of his passes in the first two games of the season, with three touchdowns and one interception.

Brady was aiming for at least one touchdown in 54 straight regular season games, but the streak came to an end in a Week 5 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Brady and the Patriots are expected to finish the season well, as Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time in his career and ranked third on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list in the off-season. The Patriots finished the season 12-4 for their second seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. Brady made his 25th playoff appearance against the Indianapolis Colts in the Divisional Round, defeating Brett Favre's record for playoff appearances by a quarterback. The Patriots defeated 43–22 on a four-touchdown effort from running back LeGarrette Blount. In the AFC Championships, the Patriots lost 26–16 to the Denver Broncos.

Brady started the 2014 season by losing 33–20 to the Miami Dolphins. It was Brady's first opening day loss since the 2003 season. Brady helped the Patriots lead the Patriots to a seven-game winning streak after going 2–1 in the first three games. Brady had two games with four touchdown passes and one game with five in that stretch. Brady won his AFC East division championship for the 12th time this season, defeating the San Diego Chargers later this season. Brady was named to his tenth Pro Bowl appearances on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list, and he was ranked third by his peers.

Brady threw for three touchdowns and ran in a fourth in a 35–31 Divisional Round victory over the Ravens, breaking Curtis Martin's record for consecutive touchdowns in the playoffs; Brady also tied Joe Montana's record for playoff touchdowns with 46. The Patriots were immediately down 14–0 after the Ravens scored on their first two possessions, but they would finish tied 14-14. At the end of the first half, Brady made an interception that resulted in a Baltimore 21–14 halftime lead. Brady rode a 78-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown to Rob Gronkowski to cut the lead to 28–21. Brady passed the ball to Julian Edelman later in the game, resulting in a 51-yard touchdown to Amendola. Justin Tucker, the Ravens' kicker, converted a 25-yard field goal to put Baltimore up 31-28 in the fourth quarter. Brady got the ball back and scored a 23-yard touchdown to wide receiver Brandon LaFell to give the Patriots their first lead, 35-31, with 5:13 remaining. Brady clinched his ninth AFC Championship Game appearance after a Duron Harmon interception and a Joe Flacco Hail Mary attempt fell. It was his fourth straight overall. Brady earned his sixth Super Bowl appearance by a quarterback after a 45–7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in his sixth Super Bowl appearance, breaking a tie with John Elway for the most Super Bowl appearances by a quarterback in his career.

Brady completed 37-of-50 passes for 328 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions in Super Bowl XLIX. Brady won his fourth Super Bowl ring after a record-breaking ten-point fourth quarter comeback as the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to give Brady his fourth Super Bowl ring, tying him with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most Super Bowl victories by a starting quarterback. For the third time, he was named Super Bowl MVP, tying Montana's record. Brady's 37 completed passes in the game tied for the game's highest Super Bowl record, which Brady himself would break in Super Bowl LI two years later.

The NFL released a 243-page study on the deflation of footballs used in the previous season's AFC Championship Game on May 6, 2015. Brady was more likely than not aware of the deliberate deflation, according to the study, who was more likely than not. Brady was suspended for four games by the NFL for four games after demonstrating "fundial and credible information" that Brady knew Patriots employees were deflating footballs and that he was uncooperative with the investigators. Troy Vincent, NfL Executive Vice President of Football Operations—penned a letter to Brady on October 9th: "Your conduct in the report clearly disclose misconduct in the game of professional football." Brady was suspended by the NFL Players Association on May 14 after being suspended for 14 days.

Brady's four-game suspension was upheld by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on July 28. Brady's demise of his cellphone was cited as a crucial factor in his decision to keep Brady's suspension. Roger Goodell's decision was also confirmed by the NFL in federal court. Brady allowed the NFLPA to appeal the suspension in federal court, as well as a tweet on his Facebook page expressing dissatisfaction with and skepticism of Goodell's decision to maintain the suspension.

The initial punishment was mixed, according to the author. Mike Freeman, a Bleacher Report writer, said the sanctions were "brutal, but it deserved to be." Various commentators also stated that the Patriots' reputation as a team that bends rules appeared to play into the harshness of the punishment. Others referred to the punishment as "firm but fair."

Judge Richard M. Berman of the United States District Court in New York suspended Brady's suspension on September 3; this decision allowed Brady to play in the first four games of the 2015 NFL season. Judge Berman cited the NFL's inability to give Brady timely warning of the charges and the possibility of a suspension. Goodell was also chastised for "manipulating Brady's testimony" at the appeal hearing in his decision, according to a post-appeal comment.

Brady led the Patriots to a 28-21 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL Kickoff Game. He passed for 288 yards and four touchdowns, three of which went to Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots' victory over Brady's career was the 161st victory of his career, all with the Patriots, which tied for most regular season victories by a starting quarterback with a single team. Brady threw for 466 yards and three touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. Brady threw a total of 14 touchdowns with one interception and a quarterback rating of 118.4. He won by 36-7 over the Miami Dolphins in Week 8, earning his 25th AFC Offensive Player of the Week title.

Despite Brady's victory, the Patriots were also missing their first game against the Denver Broncos, who were without Peyton Manning. The Patriots then lost three of their remaining five games to finish 12–4 for their fourth straight season, earning the highest-seed in the AFC. Brady had a season-best 36 touchdown passes and seven interceptions during the regular season. He was named to his 11th Pro Bowl (seventh straight) and ranked second best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016, behind only league MVP Cam Newton.

The Patriots beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round by a margin of 27-20 after being advancing with a score of 27–20. Julian Edelman recovered from a foot injury. Brady led the team to their fifth straight appearance in the AFC Championship, with 28 of 42 passing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown. At Mile High, the Patriots will face Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship. Manning's retirement will take place after the season ended, so it will be the 17th and last meeting between the two legendary quarterbacks. Brady, the Broncos' top-ranked defense, limited Brady to 310 yards, two interceptions, and a passing touchdown on the day, but the Patriots ultimately lost the game 20-18 after a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt failed with less than a minute remaining.

Brady signed a two-year contract extension for the 2018 and 2019 seasons on February 29, 2016. Judge Richard M. Berman's decision to resign Brady's four-game suspension as punishment for his suspected involvement in the Deflategate affair was appealed by NFL appeal Judge Richard M. Berman on March 3. The three-judge jury of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit grilled Players Association lawyer Jeffrey L. Kessler and NFL lawyer Paul Clement, according to Circuit Judge Denny Chin, "the evidence of ball tampering is convincing, if not overwhelming."

The United States Appeals Court reversed Brady's four-game suspension on April 25, ending his decision to dismiss Brady's four-game suspension. Circuit Judge Barrington Daniels Parker Jr., joined by Circuit Judge Chin, said that they could not "second-guess" the litigation, but that they were only determining that it "met the minimum legal requirements established by the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947." Circuit Judge Robert Katzmann disapproved, arguing that the NFL's fines for using stickum were "fully similar" to those of other sports, and that "the Commissioner was doling out his own brand of industrial justice" here. Brady's appeal was heard by the full U.S. Circuit Court on May 23, when he appealed for his hearing to be heard by the full U.S. 2nd Circuit Court. Brady's request for an en banc hearing was dismissed by the 2nd Circuit Court on July 13. Brady declared on July 15 that he would forego his Deflategate fight and accept his suspension for the first four regular season games of the 2016 season.

Brady made his 2016 season debut against the Cleveland Browns on October 9, finishing 28-of-40 yards for 406 yards and three touchdowns in a 33–13 victory and named AFC Offensive Player of the Week after serving his four-game suspension. Brady's outstanding results in his first four games after his suspension earned him the AFC Offensive Player of the Month award for October.

In a 30–17 road victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 11, Brady had four touchdowns and no interceptions. Those four touchdown passes gave him a total of 444 total touchdown passes with one team, beating Brett Favre's record with the Green Bay Packers. In a 22-17 road victory over the New York Jets, Brady completed 30-of-48 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns. The win was also the Patriots' 500th victory (including playoffs) in franchise history. Brady also became the fifth quarterback to reach 60,000 passing yards in the regular season, joining Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Drew Brees, and Dan Marino. Brady and the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 26–10, giving Brady his first victory in his career, as well as playoff games.

The Patriots won their eighth straight AFC East championship and their seventh straight first-round bye in the playoffs, both NFL records. Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth straight season and 12th time overall on December 20, 2016. Brady finished the regular season with 28 passing touchdowns and just two interceptions, surpassing the previous TD:INT ratio record of Nick Foles, who was with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. Brady was selected to the AP All-Pro Second Team. Brady was also ranked as the best player in the league in 2017, becoming the first player to be ranked as first in the league since the listing began.

Brady and the Patriots began their post-season appearance in the Divisional Round, hosting the Houston Texans, which were ranked No. 1 in the league. There is only one defense at the time. Brady finished 18 of-38 yards for 287 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Patriots defeated 34-16, clinching their sixth straight appearance in AFC Championship Game. The Patriots hosted the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Championship. In the 36–17 win, Brady passed for 384 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Brady and the Patriots' Bill Belichick won their seventh conference championship as a quarterback-head coach tandem, and the Patriots made their ninth Super Bowl appearance.

In Super Bowl LI, Brady and the Patriots met the Atlanta Falcons, the league's highest-scoring offense. Brady threw for 43 touchdowns on 62 attempts for 466 yards, the highest Super Bowl record at the time. Brady also threw for two touchdowns and an intercept, which was returned for a touchdown by Robert Alford in the second quarter. Brady and the Patriots tied the game at regulation after trailing 28–3 midway through the third quarter. This resulted in the first overtime game in Super Bowl history. Brady led the Patriots down the field to score a touchdown and win the game by a score of 34–28, giving the Patriots the most major comeback victories in both team history and Super Bowl history. Brady won his fifth Super Bowl appearances, tied for the most Super Bowl victories for any quarterback in history, and tied defensive player Charles Haley for the most Super Bowl victories for any player in history. Brady also set a new record by winning his fourth Super Bowl MVP award for his clutch efforts. On a personal note, this game was also special for Brady because it was the first game of the season that his mother had attended in person after being previously diagnosed with cancer.

Brady was announced as the head coach for Madden NFL 18 on May 12, 2017. Despite the fact that Brady's wife, Gisele Bündchen, was playing at a high level, Charlie Rose asked Brady's wife, Gisele Bündchen, if she wanted Brady to leave on May 17. Brady suffered from a concussion in 2016, according to Bündchen, "I mean he has concussions pretty much every." I mean we don't talk about; but he does have concussions. "I don't necessarily think it's a healthy thing for anyone to go through," the NFL said in a tweet: "We have reviewed all reports relating to Tom Brady from the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants and certified athletic trainer spotters who played for the Patriots' home and away season games as well as club injury reports that were sent to the league office." Mr. Brady did not suffer a head injury or concussion, or worsened concussion signs, nor did he complain about concussion symptoms. We've been in touch with the NFLPA today and we'll continue to gather more data from the club's medical staff and Mr. Brady. Don Yee, Brady's manager, said he was not diagnosed with a concussion during the 2016 season.

With a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL Kickoff Game, the Patriots began their 2017 season. Brady's three touchdown passes and 447 passing yards in a 36–20 win over the New Orleans Saints on Week 2, earning him his 28th AFC Offensive Player of the Week award, beating the record set by Peyton Manning for the most AFC Offensive Player of the Week awards in a career. The Patriots defeated the New York Jets 24–17 in Week 6. Brady won his 187th game in his career, breaking the most regular season victories in NFL history. Brady was selected to the Pro Bowl for the 13th time in his career on December 19. Brady, the oldest quarterback to start any of his teams' games in an NFL regular season at age 40. Brady had a record-breaking 4,577 passing yards during the regular season, making him the youngest player to lead the league in passing yards. For the third time in his career, he was selected as a first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press. Brady was named the NFL Most Valuable Player for the third time in his career, winning 40 percent of 50 votes. Brady was ranked No. 2 for the second year in a row and for the third time overall. One of the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

In the Divisional Round of the playoffs, Brady and the Patriots began their postseason by defeating the Tennessee Titans 35-14. For the seventh year in a row, the Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game. Brady had a minor injury on his right hand, which needed stitches just days after the divisional round. Despite this injury, Brady was able to play in the AFC Championship Game, where the Patriots defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brady led the Patriots to a 24-20 win after a fourth quarter comeback. Brady and the Patriots gained their eighth conference title as a quarterback-head coach tandem, and the Patriots earned their eighth Super Bowl berth, their tenth Super Bowl appearance as a team, both of which tied for NFL records.

The Patriots faced the Philadelphia Eagles and their second-string quarterback Nick Foles in Super Bowl LII. Brady finished 28-of-48 with three passing touchdowns, no interceptions, and a Super Bowl record 505 yards, which also set a new playoff record for the most passing yards in NFL history. Brady was booted by Brandon Graham with less than two minutes remaining in the game and the Eagles leading 38-33. With a field goal, the Eagles resurrected the game, winning their first franchise Super Bowl victory in a game with the most total yardage in NFL history. It was the third time Brady had lost in a Super Bowl, his fourth starting quarterback in Super Bowl history to miss at least three Super Bowls, including Jim Kelly, Fran Tarkenton, and John Elway.

In a 27-20 victory over the Houston Texans in the season opener, Brady started his 19th NFL season with 277 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Brady's 500th career touchdown pass to Josh Gordon, the 71st different player to see a touchdown from Brady in Week 5, defeating a record previously held by Vinny Testaverde. Brady passed for 70,000 yards in Week 15, his fourth quarterback in NFL history to do so. Brady was limited to 126 passing yards against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, but the Patriots beat the Patriots 24-12, clinching the AFC East pennant for the 10th straight season and the 16th time in 18 years. Brady helped the Patriots clinch a first-round bye in Week 17 with a 38–3 victory over the Jets. Brady finished the season with 375-of-570 passes, 4,355 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He was ranked sixth by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.

The Patriots began their playoff campaign against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Divisional Round after being kicked out of the first round bye. En route to a 41-28 victory, the Patriots raced out to a 35–7 halftime lead. The Patriots advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the eighth year in a row, this time to face the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. With a 14–0 lead going into halftime, the Patriots went into halftime. Despite this, the Chiefs battled back in the second half and sent the game into overtime, winning 31-31. The Patriots flipped the coin toss to get to overtime and were chosen to receive the ball. Brady led the Patriots on a 75-yard route that culminated in Rex Burkhead's game-winning two-yard rushing touchdown. Brady made his third straight Super Bowl appearance in his career and his ninth overall Super Bowl appearance.

Brady completed 21-of-35 passes for 262 passing yards and an interception as the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history. This was his first appearance in his nine Super Bowl appearances in which Brady did not have a passing touchdown, but with the game tied 3–3 and less than eight minutes remaining, he successfully connected with Rob Gronkowski down the sideline between three defenders to set up the go-ahead touchdown. With the victory, the Patriots became the second NFL team to win six Super Bowls, tied for the most in NFL history. In addition, Brady became the first quarterback to win six Super Bowls in 41 years of age, as well as the first to win six Super Bowls, breaking a tie with Charles Haley.

Brady signed a two-year contract extension worth $70 million through the 2021 season on August 4, 2019; the terms of the deal enabled Brady to become a free agent following the 2019 season. Brady was the highest-paid player on the team at $21.5 million against the 2019 Patriots salary cap. Brady was unable to secure a longer-term contract, so Belichick was unable to offer him one.

In a 33–3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brady started the season by throwing 36 of 36 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Brady defeated Brett Favre for third place on the all-time passing yards list after a 33–7 victory over the Washington Redskins in Week 5. Brady overtook Peyton Manning for second place on the all-time passing yards list over the following week, behind only Drew Brees. Though the Patriots' defense was strong, the offense was still stalemate, and Brady told friends that he "felt Belichick had taken the blame for granted because of how good it had been for so long"; he told NBC that he was the "most miserable 8–0 quarterback in the NFL." Following the 8–0 start in Weeks 13 and 14 against the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs, Brady and the Patriots struggled during the second half of the season, losing three of their next five games. Brady threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns in Week 17 as a Patriot, but he also threw an interception that was returned by former Patriots teammate Eric Rowe for a touchdown in a 27–24 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Despite the Patriots' 12–4 record and 11th straight year in the AFC East, this loss, combined with a victory by the Chiefs, denied New England a first-round bye since 2009. Brady also tied for the second-most touchdown passes in NFL history, with 541.

The Patriots began their postseason appearance in the Wild Card Round, where they met the Tennessee Titans. Brady's final pass attempt of the game – and his last as a Patriot – was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Titans cornerback Logan Ryan, which effectively ended the 20–13 victory for Tennessee with his team trailing 14-13 and pinned back on its own 1-yard line with 15 seconds remaining. Brady was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team during the NFL's 100th season. He was ranked 14th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

Brady announced on March 17, 2020, the day before his Patriots contract ended, that he would not return to the team for the 2020 season, putting an end to his 20-year tenure in New England. Billboards thanking Brady for his services were displayed along the Massachusetts Turnpike, a mile from Gillette Stadium, and ten other locations around New England after Brady signed with Tampa Bay.

Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 20, 2020. With up to $4.5 million per year in incentives, the two-year deal was worth $50 million in fully guaranteed money. A no-trade and a no-franchise tag were also included in the agreement. Although he was given 12 months in the office by Chris Godwin, Godwin gave it to Brady as a mark of honor and shortened his number to 14. Brady was reunited with former Patriots teammate Rob Gronkowski when the tight end came out of retirement and was traded to the Buccaneers in April 2020. Brady was adamant for the team to trade for Gronkowski, according to head coach Bruce Arians.

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