Tom Brady is one of the most well-known names in the history of the sport, a rare example of an athlete so successful that he's transcended American football entirely. The NFL quarterback, who is married to supermodel Gisele Bundchen, has won the Super Bowl 5 times — picking up the MVP award in 4 of them — as well as a record 3 NFL regular-season MVPs. Many American Football analysts and sportswriters considering Brady the greatest quarterback of all time. Aside from his incredible accomplishments, the New England Patriots icon also has an inspirational story to success.
Overlooked
As a recent college QB looking to be drafted by an NFL franchise, Brady was criminally overlooked by several scouts who considered the future Patriot too skinny and lacking mobility and sufficient physical strength. Remarkably, some scouts questioned Brady's arm strength and ability to drive the ball downfield. How wrong they were! A lousy showing compounded these unflattering scout reports at the NFL Combine, where Brady posted a sluggish 5.28-second 40-yar dash, plus an underwhelming 22.5" vertical leap. However, Tom didn't lose faith in his ability.
A New England Patriot
Given the unflattering assessments by scouts, Brady wasn't drafted until the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft, when the New England Patriots took a chance on the young quarterback. The Patriots clearly saw something in the future Hall of Famer to warrant the selection, but such a low pick suggests they weren't expecting miracles from him. After spending his rookie season watching from the sidelines, Brady finally got his chance when New England's starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, was almost fatally injured following a hit to the chest, which sheared a blood vessel. The young QB stepped up and made the most of his opportunity, leading the Pats to an impressive 11 wins in 14 starts and going all the way to Super XXXVI, where New England beat the St. Louis Rams — their number 12 winning the game's MVP award.
Finally Getting The Recognition He Deserved
Upon completion of his miracle first season as a starting NFL quarterback, Tom Brady began to receive praise from coaches and players alike. St. Louis Rams Hall of Fame quarterback, Kurt Warner, was impressed, saying "the great thing about Tom is that no matter what he went through, it didn't seem like he allowed the pressure to bother him. A lot of guys might have reacted to the big stage of the Super Bowl by trying to force plays, but he just relaxed. Right now, he seems like a kid in a candy store."
Dynasty
Under Brady, the New England Patriots established a dynasty, leading his team to an incredible 9 Super Bowls and winning 6 of them. A lesson in perseverance and self-belief, Tom Brady's accomplishments are quite astonishing. In fact, upon being drafted by the Patriots, Brady is quoted as saying to their owner, Robert Kraft, that "I'm the best decision this organization has ever made;" self-belief indeed. After 20 seasons as a Patriot, Brady left New England and is currently in his first season as the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, still one of the best players in the league and a legend in the sport.