Tom Brady was never known for his athleticism. Nor did he have the strongest arm in the league — an honor often given to rocket-launchers like Brett Favre a decade ago, or now to someone like Josh Allen.
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But as Brady has shown us through his career, his arm was plenty strong enough. Especially when paired with his unmatched decision-making, timing, and accuracy.
Still, for all his intangibles, there’s long been a perception that Brady’s physical tools were just average, with little concrete data to confirm or challenge that view. But now, thanks to sports science, we finally have the numbers behind the legend.
In a recent appearance on Veritasium’s YouTube channel (hosted by Derek Muller), Brady teamed up with data analysts to break down the physics behind his iconic throws. From ball speed to spin rate, everything was measured using high-tech sensors and speed guns, and the results are as impressive as you’d expect.
Starting with his short-range passing, the former QB, now two years removed from the NFL, was asked to make throws to a nearby target, positioned next to a speed gun.
On his first throw, Brady clocked 45 miles per hour, then bumped it up to 46 mph, and eventually hit 49 mph — speeds he said were typical for him during NFL games. That’s around 80 kilometers per hour, fast enough to remind us just how intensely physical professional football is today.
But the real heat comes on the deep balls. “For his long throws,” Muller states, “the speed jumps even higher — over 60 miles per hour — that’s almost 100 kilometers per hour.” It’s the kind of zip that cuts through wind, rain, and defenders — the kind Brady used to thread the needle for two decades straight.
Then there’s the spin rate — the unseen but critical element behind a perfect spiral, both for aesthetic and practical reasons.
Using sensor data, analysts found that Brady’s best spiral during the session spun at 628 revolutions per minute. That’s not just a tight spiral; it’s a highly effective spin rate too — because at that velocity, the ball cuts cleaner through the air, stays on trajectory, and hits its target with precision. Textbook Tom Brady.
While it’s true that Brady’s short passing velocity, for instance, was nowhere near Jordan Love’s mind-boggling 61.98 mph throw, what makes the GOAT’s numbers impressive is that he didn’t put on pads for this. Brady is retired with no training camp and no two-a-days. Just showing up and still throwing bullets with pro-level mechanics.
Brady’s numbers also put to rest any doubt about the mechanics behind his success. Maybe he wasn’t throwing 70-yard lasers like some of his contemporaries, but he didn’t have to. He threw hard enough, fast enough, and tight enough to consistently beat NFL defenses for over 20 years. And now, the numbers back up what the rings already told us.
So, how fast can Brady throw and spin a football? Fast enough to build a dynasty and win 7 Super Bowls along the way.
