Tom Brady could have retired five years ago and would have gone down as the greatest quarterback, if not player, in NFL history. And now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback has admitted he nearly retired 18 years ago.
Even in 2017, the former sixth-round pick out of Michigan has accomplished in his storied career is completely unprecedented, to have won four Super Bowl's and four Super Bowl MVP's - but to go on and win three more Super Bowl's and two more Super Bowl MVP's has put him on an unassailable perch atop of NFL greatness - where he'll likely remain for decades to come.
At the age of 45, Brady has been doubted for the better part of 10 years now. After a few shaky games here and there, many have incorrectly predicted the inevitable downfall.
In 2016, former ESPN First Take host Max Kellerman stated that Brady was 'just about done' stating: "It could be his next game, it could be a year from now, but he is going to fall off a cliff. Tom Brady is going to be a bum in short order." Kellerman has since admitted that Brady has had a Hall of Fame career since 2016.
And whilst we could discuss Brady's achievements at length, it's just fair to land at saying that he's the greatest of all-time - but the chances to achieve what he has done in the game could have been cruelly taken away from him 18 years ago. Coming off the back of his second Super Bowl win, when the New England Patriots defeated Carolina Panthers, Brady stated that injuries had affected his life so much that he considered quitting.
In an advert for his TB12 product, Brady revealed: "When I was 27, I almost retired from the game of football because of elbow pain. Now, I'm 45 years old and I'm still here. No matter the age, no matter the obstacle, it's about how you feel and about what you do."
The very next season, when he Brady would win the Super Bowl once again, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles, coached by current Kansas City Chiefs' Andy Reid.
Throughout his career, Brady has largely avoided injuries - missing just one season (2009) after suffering a torn ACL and MCL in the season opener against the Chiefs. Incredibly, Brady has not missed a game through injury since then.
Brady's TB12 Sports product is programme with a series of healthy daily habits to facilitate and improve muscle recovery, injury prevention and improved performance through pliability.
At the age of 45, Brady remains playing at an exceptional level - despite his Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggling - with only Patrick Mahomes throwing for more yards than him this season.
