Tom Brady has ascended the NFL mountain much like Michael Jordan did with the NBA back in his day, making watching him now all the more important.
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When Brady announced his retirement this year, there were definitely a group fans who were thrilled by the decision. Whether it was because Brady had beaten their teams too many times or because of a personal vendetta against the quarterback, those fans were cheering for Brady’s demise.
Of course, Brady’s demise never really came. He went out guns-blazing, nearly leading a 27-3 comeback against the eventual Super Bowl champs LA Rams. He finished the season leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns at 44 years old. The only knock against him was his slow start in the first half of that Rams game.
Sure, Brady didn’t ride off into the sunset like Peyton Manning did, but he also didn’t look like a shell of his former self either. However, his retirement lasted only about 40 days. Brady’s haters were left shellshocked. However, greatness, just like Brady’s retirement is temporary. There will come a time we won’t see Brady again and rather than taking shots against him, we should be enjoying him, just like we did Michael Jordan.
NFL insider compares watching Tom Brady play to Michael Jordan
There’s no question that Michael Jordan and Tom Brady are considered the GOATs of their respective sports, and as a result, people often find it easy to compare the two in their career arcs.
NFL insider Mike Florio discussed how Brady’s legacy compared to Jordan’s and why it’s so important to share in his glory right now while he’s still playing.
“Look I knew from the moment that they came back and beat the Falcons in Super Bowl LI, that was when he became the greatest QB of all time,” Florio said. “Maybe also the greatest NFL player of all time. That was where I started saying that he is now in that Michael Jordan phase where you better go see him play while you can.”
If Brady wasn’t in the Michael Jordan phase after beating the Atlanta Falcons, then he most definitely is now. The win over the Falcons gave him his fifth title, and since then, he’s won two more.
Brady’s title with the Buccaneers was incredibly impressive given the context behind that season. He didn’t have a training camp to build chemistry with his receivers nor was he able to adjust himself to a new team after playing 20 years for one. He also had a slight chip on his shoulder.
Years of hearing people label him as a ‘system quarterback’ had taken its toll on the champion, and he had to show people that he wasn’t a product of a system but rather that he had built the system.
Now that Brady’s back for at least one more year, it’s worth wondering how much another title would add to his legacy. He’s achieved everything you’d ever want in an NFL career and more, what else is there for him to prove? The answer is nothing, and that’s why we should be watching Brady as much as we can, as Florio detailed. Talent and skill doesn’t come around like this often, we’re lucky to have seen it even once in our lifetime.
