In a touching interaction with a young fan at the Fanatics convention, the legendary Tom Brady took a trip down memory lane. The former Patriots QB was transported to the past as the young fan showed off his 2000 HoF game card from his collection.
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The card brought back vivid memories for Brady, who made his professional debut in that exhibition matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. Talking to Nolan, the young Patriots super fan, Brady reminiced about the historic game, that was also his NFL debut, and even gushed about his favorite quarterback:
“That was the first game I ever played, that was a 2000 Hall of Fame game wow and that year going into the Hall of Fame was Joe Montana, Howie Long and Ronnie Lott – three of my favorite players. One Raider, two 49ers, and the 49ers were my favorite team growing up and Joe Montana was my favorite quarterback.”
He came on the field in the final quarter and completed 3 of his 4 pass attempts for 28 yards, but the moment marked the start of an unparalleled career that would cement his legacy as the greatest quarterback of all time.
While the game itself did not showcase Brady’s full potential, it was a stepping stone that led to his eventual rise as a starter. Just over a year later, he would take over as the Patriots’ starting quarterback, leading the team to unprecedented success.
The 7x Super Bowl champion officially retired in February 2023 after 23 seasons in the NFL, the last 3 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He himself will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2028, joining the all-time greats he idolized as a kid.
The GOAT might be retired now, but he’ll always cherish the memories and the chance to inspire the next generation of football fans.
