Who is #12
Tom Brady was drafted by the NFL’s New England Patriots in 2000, and the star quarterback has won three NFL MVP awards, four Super Bowl MVP awards and a record seven Super Bowl championships. In an incident known as “Deflategate,” Brady was suspended after an investigation into the charges that he knew about the illegal deflation of footballs before an important playoff game in 2015. Despite sitting out the first four games of the 2016 season, Brady went on to lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl LI victory over the Atlanta Falcons and added to his collection with a historic win over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. After 20 seasons in New England, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020. He is also known for his marriage to supermodel Gisele Bündchen. Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. was born on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California, Brady excelled at both football and baseball at Junipero Serra High School. After graduating in 1995, Brady passed up a chance to play professional baseball to go to the University of Michigan. Although a member of the school’s football team, Brady did not spend much time on the field in his first two college seasons. In his junior year, however, he served as the starting quarterback. That season, Brady threw 350 passes for 2,636 yards. In his final season, he helped lead his team to an Orange Bowl victory. Moving on to the NFL, Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft. Initially, he served as a backup quarterback and played in only one game during his first season. The 2001 season was a different story: After starting quarterback Drew
Bledsoe was injured, Brady took over, proving himself a strong leader with a powerful arm. Anyone who doubted his abilities only had to look at the team’s record, an impressive 11 wins to 3 losses in the 14 games that Brady started. In the postseason, he helped the team secure a win over the St. Louis Rams at Super Bowl XXXVI, and Brady received the game’s MVP award. Two years later, Brady led his team to another win at Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers, for which he earned a second Super Bowl MVP award. And in the 2004 season, Brady again led the team to Super Bowl success, taking down the Philadelphia Eagles, 24-21. In 2005, Brady signed a new six-year contract with the Patriots, and for the 2006 season, the team had a 12-4 record in the regular season. Even with critics carefully scrutinizing the 42-year-old quarterback’s play, New England began the 2019 season with eight consecutive wins. The Patriots lost three of their final six games, however, the fears raised by their rocky finish coming to fruition when they were sent packing in the first round of the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans. Following a season in which his passer rating slipped to 88.0 and he failed to earn a Pro Bowl selection for the first time since his injury-marred 2008 campaign, Brady’s NFL future became a source of debate for fans who wondered whether he would retire, re-sign with New England or play elsewhere.
Even with critics carefully scrutinizing the 42-year-old quarterback’s play, New England began the 2019 season with eight consecutive wins. The Patriots lost three of their final six games, however, the fears raised by their rocky finish coming to fruition when they were sent packing in the first round of the playoffs by the Tennessee Titans. Following a season in which his passer rating slipped to 88.0 and he failed to earn a Pro Bowl selection for the first time since his injury-marred 2008 campaign, Brady’s NFL future became a source of debate for fans who wondered whether he would retire, re-sign with New England or play elsewhere. On March 17, 2020, the QB answered one of those questions with a statement posted to his social media accounts that revealed his intention to continue his career elsewhere. Thanking the Patriots faithful, he wrote: “My children were born and raised here and you always embraced this California kid as one of your own. I love your commitment and loyalty to your teams and winning for our city means more than you will ever know.”
On March 17, 2020, the QB answered one of those questions with a statement posted to his social media accounts that revealed his intention to continue his career elsewhere. Thanking the Patriots faithful, he wrote: “My children were born and raised here and you always embraced this California kid as one of your own. I love your commitment and loyalty to your teams and winning for our city means more than you will ever know.”
9
