Tom Brady

Early Years

National Football League player Tom Brady was born on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California. He played football and baseball at Junipero Serra High School, and committed to college at the University of Michigan. There, he played starting quarterback during this junior year, and threw 350 passes for a total of 2636 yards. During his senior year at Michigan, he led the team to a victory at the Orange Bowl. His college football year was a precursor to his upcoming NFL achievements, including becoming the first player in NFL history to win six Super Bowl Championships.

The Rise of a Legend

In 2000, Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots. His notoriety began in 2001, when the Patriots’ starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured, forcing Brady to take over. That season, the Patriots had 11 wins and 3 losses for the games that Brady started. The Patriots won the Super Bowl, and Brady received the Most Valuable Player award. Two years later, the Patriots won another Super Bowl. In 2004? Another Super Bowl win. Brady signed a six-year contract to continue playing for the Patriots in 2005.

The Most Disappointing Undefeated Season

Wide receiver Randy Moss joined the Patriots in 2007, giving the team an impressive offense. Brady threw 50 touchdown passes that season, which was a record at the time. The team had an undefeated regular season, but ended up losing to the Giants during Super Bowl XLII—Super Bowl 42. In 2011, the Patriots suffered a second Super Bowl loss to the Giants.

Was Tom a Cheater?

In 2014, a scandal known as “Deflategate” created shockwaves through the NFL. The Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game, but after the game, it came to light that some of the 12 footballs used by the Patriots were not fully inflated. The team was accused of cheating and underinflating their balls to give themselves an advantage; Brady denied these accusations. The team came back to win Super Bowl XLIX (49), but in 2015, a report revealed that Brady was “generally aware” that someone had tampered with the Patriots’ footballs prior to their game. Brady was consequently suspended for the first four games in 2015; after appealing his suspension and having it overturned, then reinstated, he also missed the first four games of the 2016 season. Despite these conflicts of integrity, Brady was named the NFL’s top-ranked player heading into 2018.

Big Changes

During Super Bowl LIII – 53 –the Patriots faced off against the Rams and won despite Brady not throwing any touchdowns. This win was Brady’s record-breaking sixth Super Bowl win. After a disappointing 2019 season, during which the Patriots lost in the first game of the playoffs, it was unclear whether Brady would retire, sign with the Patriots again, or sign with a new team. In March 2020, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after playing 20 seasons with the Patriots.

A Seventh Championship in Tampa Bay

Brady’s move to Tampa Bay produced another championship almost immediately. In his first season with the Buccaneers, he led Tampa Bay to Super Bowl LV against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Buccaneers won 31-9, and Brady threw three touchdown passes. The victory gave Brady his seventh Super Bowl championship and his fifth Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award. It also made Tampa Bay the first team to win a Super Bowl in its home stadium.

Retirement, Return, and Final Season

After the 2021 season, Brady announced that he was retiring from the NFL. The retirement lasted only 40 days. In March 2022, he announced that he would return to Tampa Bay for a 23rd NFL season. The Buccaneers won the NFC South in 2022 and reached the playoffs, although the season ended with a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. On February 1, 2023, Brady announced his retirement again, this time ending a 23-season playing career. He finished with seven Super Bowl victories in ten Super Bowl appearances.

Life After Playing

Brady remained involved with professional football after retirement. He began working as a lead NFL game analyst for Fox Sports during the 2024 season. In October 2024, NFL owners approved his purchase of a minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. By 2026, Brady described himself as happily retired from playing while continuing his work in broadcasting and his role with the Raiders.