Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has yet to announce anything official regarding his playing status for next season, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from churning. The most decorated signal-caller in NFL history has a big decision to make—one that will undoubtedly affect the landscape of the entire league.
If Brady does decide to hang it up, doing so on Sunday would have major historical significance. Why?
Brady was drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft and spent his first season working his way up the depth chart, eventually earning the role of Drew Bledsoe's backup.
Brady, in the second game of his second season, took over the starting job after Bledsoe was injured against the Jets. Brady started the rest of the season and led the Patriots to the No. 2 seed in the AFC. He then led the team to a playoff win over the Raiders in the divisional round in the famous "tuck rule" game.
In the AFC title game, Brady suffered a knee injury and watched from the sidelines as Bledsoe led the team to a 24–17 victory over the Steelers to reach the Super Bowl. As a result, head coach Bill Belichick had a decision to make regarding which quarterback would start the Super Bowl against the Rams.
On Jan. 30, 2002, Belichick decided to name Brady the starter instead of the more experienced Bledsoe. Brady led the Patriots to an improbable win, as the 14-point underdog Patriots upended the Rams, 20–17.
If Brady announced his retirement on Jan. 30, 2022, it would be 20 years to the day since Belichick named him the Super Bowl starter. Brady went on to play for the Patriots until 2019, winning six Super Bowl titles in the process. He added a seventh last season playing for the Buccaneers.
Regardless of when Brady retires, whether it's Sunday or a few years down the road, it's clear he'll go down as one of the best—if not the best—players to ever put on an NFL uniform.
