Tom Brady has done a lot throughout his career. He is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and every weekend is trying to increase his legend. Even though his relationship with his new head coach Bruce Arians isn't giving him the best help, Brady keeps showing he still got it. Should he decide to retire today, he'd still be arguably the greatest quarterback ever.
Ever since Brady took over the starting quarterback job for the New England Patriots, he's been the guy to beat in the NFL. People have counted him out year after year waiting for his decline but he's still throwing darts and breaking marks at 42 years old.
That's why the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't hesitate for a second to sign him to a fully-guaranteed 2-year, $50 million deal in the summer despite his age. His sole presence already makes entire defenses crumble.
I mean, not many athletes had stayed at the top of their game for almost two decades, and while it's clear that father time has kind of caught up to him this past couple of seasons, he's never relied on his speed or athleticism to make defenses pay. The guy could play another good 5 years or so.
But after winning 6 Super Bowls and amassing over $235.2 million throughout his career, what incentive could Tom Terrific have to keep padding up for another season? You guessed it, becoming the NFL's ultimate record man.
Brady already owns dozens of records, some of them quite hard to top. Moreover, he can earn at least a couple more to continue cementing his already impressive legacy. Today, we'll break down those records:
Regular-season records already owned by Tom Brady:
- Most regular-season passing yards: Tom Brady brokeBrees' record (77,416) with 80,359 yards.
- Most seasons as a team's starting quarterback: 19
- Most seasons leading the league in passing touchdowns: 4 (tied)
- Most games won by a quarterback: 226
- Most games 2+ touchdown passes: 179
- Most touchdowns thrown to different receivers: 83
- Most wins at home by a quarterback: 122
- Most wins on the road by a quarterback: 101
- Best TD-INT ratio in a season: 28:2
- Most career passing yards with one franchise: 74,571
- Most career passing touchdowns with one franchise: 541
- Most Pro Bowl selections: 14 (tied)
- He's the only quarterback in NFL history to have three straight games with 300+ passing yards, 3+ Touchdown-passes, and 0 interceptions
- Oldest quarterback to lead the NFL in passing yards: 40 years
- Most yards in a single season for a quarterback aged 40 and older: 4,577
- Oldest player to win the MVP: 40 years
- Oldest position player to be named first-team All-Pro: 40 years
- Oldest quarterback to ever throw for 5+ Touchdowns in the same game: 43 years
- Most regular-season wins: 222
Postseason records already owned by Tom Brady:
- Most playoff games: 41
- Most starts in the playoffs: 41
- Most games won by a starting quarterback: 30
- Most touchdown passes in the playoffs: 73
- Most passing yards in the playoffs: 11,388
- Most passes attempted: 1,626
- Most passes completed: 1,025
- Most passes intercepted: 35
- Most division titles won as a starter: 17
- Most NFL conference championship games by a starting quarterback: 13
- Most NFL conference championship wins by a starting quarterback: 9
- Most career 300+ passing yard games in the playoffs: 16
- Most passing yards in a playoff game: 505 (Super Bowl LII)
- Most game-winning drives in the playoffs: 13
- Most playoff games with 2+ TD passes: 23
- Most consecutive playoff wins by a starting quarterback: 10 (2001–2005)
- Most consecutive playoff wins to start a career by a starting quarterback: 10 (2001, 2003–2005)
- Most career playoff home wins by a starting quarterback: 20 (2001–2019)
- Most consecutive playoff home wins by a starting quarterback: 9 (2013–2019)
- Oldest Quarterback to win an AFC title game: 41 years, 5 months, 17 days
Super Bowl records already owned by Tom Brady:
- Most Super Bowl appearances: 9
- Most Super Bowl wins (as a player): 6
- Most Super Bowl wins as starting quarterback: 6
- Most touchdown passes in the Super Bowl: 18
- Most passing yards in the Super Bowl: 2,838
- Most passes completed in the Super Bowl: 256
- Most passes attempted in the Super Bowl: 392
- Most game-winning drives in the Super Bowl: 6
- Most straight completions in a single Super Bowl: 16 (XLVI)
- Most passes completed in one Super Bowl: 43 (LI)
- Most passes attempted in one Super Bowl: 62 (LI)
- Most passing yards in one Super Bowl: 505 (LII)
- Most passes completed in the first half of a Super Bowl: 20 (XLIX)
- Most passing attempts without an interception in a single Super Bowl: 48 (XLII & LII)
- Oldest quarterback to start a Super Bowl: 41 years, 6 months, 0 days
- Oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl: 41 years, 6 months, 0 days
- Oldest player to be named Super Bowl MVP: 39 years, 6 months, 2 days
NFL records Tom Brady could still break:
- Pro Bowl selections: He's currently tied for most (14) with Tony Gonzalez, Peyton Manning Bruce Matthews, and Merlin Olsen.
- Most games started: Brett Favre currently holds the record with 298 starts, while Brady has 283.
- Fourth-quarter comebacks (including playoffs): Brady is currently tied with Peyton Manning with 45 fourth-quarter comebacks, so he's a lock to top that record.
- Most passing touchdowns in the regular season: Brady (541) still trails Drew Brees (547) in that regard but Drew announced that this will be his final season in the league, so he could still pass him on 2021.
- Most MVPs: Peyton Manning holds the record with 5 MVPs to Brady's 3 but hey, anything can happen.
Brady hasn't shown signs of slowing down this season and even at 43, the future Hall of Famer has made it clear that it'll take a special talent to overtake him as the GOAT in the eyes of many NFL fans.
