Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. entered the NFL as New England’s sixth-round pick in 2000. He played briefly as a rookie, then became the Patriots’ starter in 2001 after Drew Bledsoe was injured. Brady led New England to a 20–17 win over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, completing the late drive that set up Adam Vinatieri’s winning field goal. The game began a partnership that would define both Brady’s career and the Patriots’ rise.
New England repeated as champion in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, with Brady directing close finishes in both Super Bowls. The team later returned to the top in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The 2016 title came after one of football’s most memorable turnarounds: in Super Bowl LI, Brady led the Patriots back from a 28–3 deficit against Atlanta to win 34–28 in overtime. That late rally captured a skill central to his reputation: he kept the offense composed when a game still offered a path back. The 2007 season showed the other side of his career, as New England went unbeaten in the regular season before losing Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants.
After 20 seasons with the Patriots, Brady joined Tampa Bay in 2020. In his first year with the Buccaneers, he helped the team reach Super Bowl LV and defeat Kansas City, earning a title with a second franchise. He stayed in Tampa through the 2022 season, leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs each year. After a brief retirement and return to play, Brady announced in February 2023 that he was ending his 23-season NFL career.
Brady’s career stretched across different rosters, coaches and phases of the league. He paired detailed preparation with a quick release and a willingness to keep throwing in high-pressure moments. Over time, his teams turned that approach into repeated trips through the postseason, while Brady remained the steady decision-maker at quarterback. His path from an unheralded late-round selection to long-term starter in New England and a successful veteran in Tampa Bay is a rare career arc: two franchises trusted him to lead their offenses, and both reached the sport’s biggest game with him at the controls.