The greatest quarterback of all-time, Tom Brady, retires at the age of 44.
In 1986 I remember watching Steve Grogan and the New England Patriots get leveled in Super Bowl XX by McMahon, Payton, Perry, Dent and Ditka. New Englanders were so happy that they made it to the big game. After that season the woes continued.
Then along came guys named Bill Parcels and Drew Bledsoe. Parcels was heralded as a coaching master mind and Bledsoe was a huge first round pick and the answer to the New England Patriots problems. With an all-star cast around them, Parcels and Bledsoe led the Patriots to Super Bowl XXXI in 1997. In a close game, where the Patriots held most of the momentum they eventually would fall to Holmgren, Favre and the Green Bay Packers. After that season the next few years would be a rebuilding under a new coach, Bill Belichick.
Belichick and the Patriots would draft a QB from Michigan, 199th overall in the 2000 NFL draft, Tom Brady. Brady would eventually be known as “the biggest draft steal” of all time and in just his second season would lead the Patriots to their first world title in Super Bowl XXXVI. How Brady ended up in that starting role, through a Bledsoe injury is just New England football lore. Being in the right place at the right time and being drafted by the right coach and owner worked out for Brady, just as drafting Brady worked out for the ownership and coach.
From this point on, the list of records, AFC championships game appearances, AFC East titles and Super bowl victories just kept adding up. It was like Brady was a collector with an addiction. His collective drive in the good years and not so good, never faltered. When Brady walked on the field in that silver helmet, every Pats fan knew their team had a chance to win.
After 19 seasons the eventual happens, Brady ended his tenure with New England and went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 2 seasons. in his first season there he did what Joe Monatana could not do and took his second team to a Super Bowl victory and on their own field none the less. Another astronomical accomplishment. In his second year the Bucs went deep in the playoffs to lose by a field goal and watch the GOAT walk off into the sunset.
Tom is going out on top of his game, with all the records, 7 Rings and more and more and more.
I want to say thank you to Tom, in this article. What he has meant to me and my family over the past 21 years cannot be measured. We, like many New England families are absolute massive Tom Brady fans. Tom was in our living rooms, on our phones, social media etc for 20 plus years and it felt like we were all family in a way. I raised my children watching Brady, Belichick, McGinest, Law, Seymour, Brushci, Brown, Wilfork, Moss, Gronk, Edelman, McCourty and the list goes on. All of that was spearheaded by Tom Brady, no question.
All the amazing memories with my family, super bowl parties, games, events, meeting players, souvenirs that are mantle pieces in our homes. The fun and excitement that the Tom Brady era brought to all of us will never be replaced. We will all continue to love the Patriots in our house holds and always follow Brady where ever he goes. My children will have their own children and raise them to love the Patriots and tell stories about watching Brady win Super Bowls and his amazing comebacks and 2 minute drives to win games, especially on the biggest stages. There is just no way to replace that. We are so lucky to have had that and are blessed.
Thank you for everything Tom!
RR @ronrobert2020
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