Football has been such a key part of my life. From the age of six to now as an adult, I still can’t picture myself without this amazing game. Although I analyze it, I’m still a fan as well at the end of the day. I love this game that much. As I always say, The quarterback is the most important position in all of football. You simply won’t win unless you have consistent signal caller. I can sit here and say I’ve truly seen some amazing quarterbacks over the years. I caught the tail end of Brett Favre’s legendary career, I saw all of Drew Brees from his start with the Chargers and all he accomplished with the Saints. How could I forget the newly-minted Hall of Famer, Peyton Manning? I’ll also throw Aaron Rodgers in there for what he’s become after succeeding a Hall of Famer. Then, there’s Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. A sixth-round pick from the University of Michigan. After 22 years of NFL service, the iconic quarterback is officially retiring.
He is the greatest I’ve seen play the position that is quarterback. This debate was settled just a few years ago. Here’s the thing. This man was never the biggest, the fastest or the strongest. Tom was different beast as the late Kobe Bryant once said. He worked harder than anyone else and that’s what made him great. He consistently did the little things on the regular and that is what set him apart. What throw couldn’t Tom make? He hit receivers in stride, the check down passes and the deep ball down the field. He could do it all. Even in his prime, Tom was never the most mobile quarterback nor was he the quickest. However, he had phenomenal movement within the pocket and had the ability to evade any type of blitz or pressure that came his way. I always said he came into every season and played with a chip on his shoulder even after a successful year beforehand. What allowed him to be great was the footwork. I truly feel he would’ve still been the force he was even if he shorter. Next to Brees, Tom was one of the best when it came to spreading the football around. He had the veteran savviness to make you think he was going one way and get the ball to the one receiver a defense never expected. The best I ever saw him look was in 2007. The Patriots acquired Randy Moss and finally gave Tom the big-play receiver he needed. They made history that season. Tom threw 50 touchdown passes and Randy caught 23 of those which is still a single-season record to this day. It didn’t matter who he was throwing the ball too. He always found a way to make it work with anyone around him. He turned guys into household names.
Love him or hate him, he was greatness personified. He did it at the highest level every year, even as he got older. He never showed a sign of slowing down. In 2017, he became the oldest player in league history to win MVP at the age of 40. Numbers don’t lie. He walks away from the game with the most touchdown passes in league history (624), the most passing yards (84,520), the most playoff games started by a quarterback (47), the most wins in the playoffs by a quarterback (35), seven Super Bowl championships, five Super Bowl MVP’s and three league MVP’s (2007, 2010 & 2017). It has been an absolute pleasure to see a man became a living legend. I always enjoyed every chance I got to break him down. Thank you legend. I can’t wait to see you with your gold jacket and bronze bust in Canton five years from now.
