Ben Cooper | Sports Editor
February 1, 2022
Tom Brady has called it a career after 22 incredible seasons in the NFL. Brady is widely regarded as the greatest NFL player of all time, but it didn’t come without controversies.
In 2002, Brady took over at quarterback for the New England Patriots as Drew Bledsoe suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. He led them to an 11-5 record and into the postseason. In the Divisional Round, the Patriots took on the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders led throughout the game, but New England rallied back late and then on a final drive, the Brady mystique took a weird turn.
On a first-down play, Brady stood in the pocket and was hit by Charles Woodson, causing a fumble that was recovered by the Raiders. This would have clinched the game, but the play went under review. (trilogymedicalcenter) After review, it was ruled an incomplete pass due to the “Tuck Rule.”
The Patriots went on to win the game in one of the most controversial calls in NFL history. They ended up winning the Super Bowl, starting the Patriots dynasty.
“When you think of Tom Brady, you think about the Super Bowl victories, not the scandals,” senior Justus Timmerman said. “Regardless of them being true or not, his legacy is definitely still intact.”
Then came the “deflategate” years later, in the 2014 AFC title game between the Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts. NFL balls are required to be inflated between 12.5 to 13.5 pounds per square inch. However, it was reported that 11 of the 12 footballs used in the first half were below the minimum PSI.
New England was accused of tampering with the inflation of the footballs.
A legal battle ensued in the following years, which found that the Patriots were guilty and Brady was aware of the deflated footballs. The NFL took away their 2016 first-round pick, a fourth-round pick, and were fined one million dollars.
Brady also served a four-game suspension and went on to win the Super Bowl the season of his suspension.
“I don’t think these controversies should affect his legacy,” senior A.J. Nestor said. “This is Tom Brady we’re talking about. He is the greatest to ever do it, he proved so much that it cancels out the scandals.”
Brady accomplished a ton in his 22 years, winning seven Super Bowl rings, three regular-season MVP awards, and five Super Bowl MVP awards.
He holds the record for the most passing yards of all time with 84,520 yards and passing touchdowns with 624 touchdown passes.
Many fans will remember him as a Patriot, but his final two seasons of his career were on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He won his 7th Super Bowl title in his first season with the Bucs but fell short in the playoffs this season. Brady lost to the Los Angeles Rams, despite a heroic comeback effort.
They once trailed 27-3, and he led them back to tie the game, but his defense couldn’t get a stop, resulting in the end of his football career.
Despite the controversies he faced throughout his illustrious career, Brady will go down as the Greatest Player of All Time.
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