As the tributes and farewells continue pouring in for Tom Brady’s (second, official, “no, really, I mean it this time, you guys)” retirement, it turns out there are still some stories that haven’t been told yet about the quarterback’s legacy.
During Wednesday’s episode of Pardon The Interruption on ESPN, co-host Michael Wilbon shared one tale that speaks to how other great athletes analyzed Brady’s career.
Of course, because it’s Wilbon, the story includes Michael Jordan. And, of course, because it includes Jordan, it also includes a gambling take.
This bit of greatness takes place in 2014, the night before Super Bowl 49, when Brady’s Patriots were set to take on Russell Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks. And it begins with Jordan making his pick for the game and ends with MJ cackling over Ray Lewis’ prediction.
The 🐐… on the 🐐 pic.twitter.com/5LQQtvTFYz
— Michael Wilbon (@RealMikeWilbon) February 2, 2023
Granted, it wasn’t Brady who decided Wilson should throw the ball on the one-yard line instead of handing it off to Marshawn Lynch. And it wasn’t like Jordan knew Malcolm Butler was going to make one of the most iconic plays of all time to end the game, but the moral of the story is a simple one:
Great athletes know when to back great athletes.
Considering Brady’s history against the spread (not to mention his work in the Super Bowl alone), it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that Jordan would back TB12.
Lewis may have understood football better than Jordan, but Jordan understood winning at a level only him, Brady and a few others can comprehend.
