Tom Brady Why He S The G O A T Youtube

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Dec 8, 2025, 11:58 AM

Of all the GOAT debates in sports, one of the easiest to call comes from football, because there isn’t a debate at all. Tom Brady made the conversation an open-and-shut affair. There are no competition concerns, numbers to scrutinize, or “yeah, but”s to explore. The only mystery isn’t who the GOAT is, but how it ended up being the 199th pick of an NFL draft. Let’s explore what makes a skinny 6th round quarterback in the world’s most brutal sport the unequivocal greatest of all time. It’s easy to start with statistics, and there’s no reason to bury the lede, so let’s begin there.

The most important position in all of sports is, arguably, quarterback. There have been dozens of phenomenal quarterbacks in NFL history. What makes Tom Brady so unique is that he has more passing yards, passing touchdowns, 4th quarter comebacks, game-winning drives, regular season wins, postseason wins, Super Bowl victories, and Super Bowl MVPs than all... His 12 combined Super Bowl rings and Super Bowl MVPs are five more than any other player in NFL history. His Approximate Value–a statistic created by Pro Football Reference to estimate career value–is 49 more than any other player, which is greater than the difference between 2nd place and 9th place. He not only has the greatest career in history, but his 2007 regular season is arguably the greatest season in history.

Brady’s career statistics are enough to end the debate, but there are several other angles that bolster his legacy. For instance, Brady’s impact on winning is unrivaled in the sport. Bill Belichick is often included on the Mount Rushmore of NFL head coaches, and rightfully so. Belichick has a record six Super Bowl victories as a head coach, and appeared in a record nine Super Bowls. However, Belichick owes quite a bit to Brady for his success. Belichick’s career regular season record without Brady is 83-104 (.444).

With Brady? Well things look a little sunnier at 219-64 (.774). Belichick’s career playoff record without Brady stands at just 1-2 (.333). Again, with Brady, that record balloons to 30-11 (.732). Certainly, there was some mutualism between Brady and Belichick in New England, but Belichick was unsuccessful in three NFL stints without Brady. Brady without Belichick?

This is where Brady’s legacy reaches the land beyond the land of the absurd. Brady left New England to be the starting quarterback for Tampa Bay in 2020. Tampa had not made the playoffs in the previous 12 seasons, and carried a 7-9 record in 2019. In Brady’s first season without Belichick, he was the MVP of the Super Bowl! Brady would go on to lead the Bucs to the playoffs in all three of his seasons in Tampa, and did so in his mid-40s. Brady’s career regular season without Belichick is 32-18 (.640), and his playoff record is 5-2 (.714).

It is rare in sports that we get to see such a definitive conclusion on the relative importance of a single player as we’ve been able to see with Brady. His massive success with and without Belichick, and with and without the Patriots and Bucs, combined with Belichick and Tampa’s poor records without Brady shows just how instrumental Brady was to his winning endeavors. Brady’s massive statistical ledger and his impact on winning are more than enough to close the book on this debate, but there’s more. Brady’s sustained excellence is only rivaled by LeBron James in the history of professional sports. Brady led the NFL in passing yards in his 20s, 30s, and 40s. He did the same with touchdowns.

He won multiple Super Bowls in his 20s, 30s, and 40s. As a starting quarterback, Brady was 70-24 (.745) in his 20s, 113-28 (.801) in his 30s, and 68-30 (.694) in his 40s. There are only three quarterbacks in history besides Brady who won two Super Bowls with at least a .694 career winning %, and Brady accomplished that in his 20s, 30s, and 40s. Brady’s sustained excellence shows up even more if we move beyond the fact that he’s the all time leader in so many categories, and explore just how big his margin is over second place... His 10 Super Bowl appearances are four more than any other player. His 251 regular season wins are 65 more than any other player.

The difference between Brady and 2nd place is the same as the difference between 2nd and 12th place. Brady’s regular season win total is twice as many as all but 8 quarterbacks in NFL history. Brady’s 35 playoff wins are more than double any other quarterback in history. He has twice as many passing yards as all but 18 quarterbacks, and twice as many passing touchdowns as all but 12. Few players in sports history have left as profound a mark on their game as Tom Brady. Over his remarkable career, he’s crafted a legacy built on unforgettable performances and historic milestones.

These defining moments showcase why his name is synonymous with greatness and why he stands alone as the ultimate standard in football history. Brady's journey to greatness began with a stunning upset in Super Bowl XXXVI. Facing the heavily favored St. Louis Rams, Brady led the New England Patriots on a game-winning drive, setting up Adam Vinatieri’s iconic field goal. At just 24 years old, Brady showcased poise and leadership that set the tone for his career. In the AFC Divisional Playoff against the Raiders, Brady’s controversial “tuck rule” play became the turning point of the game.

After initially being ruled a fumble, the play was reversed, allowing the Patriots to tie and later win in overtime. It remains one of the most debated moments in NFL history—and the start of Brady’s playoff magic. In blizzard-like conditions during the 2002 AFC Divisional Playoff against the Raiders, Brady showed his resilience. He passed for 312 yards and led a late rally to tie the game, which the Patriots eventually won in overtime. The game is remembered for both the conditions and Brady’s grit. Brady and Manning’s rivalry defined an era, and their 2004 AFC Championship clash was a defining moment.

Brady outdueled Manning with a commanding performance, leading the Patriots to victory and another Super Bowl appearance. His ability to deliver on the biggest stages was undeniable. Tom Brady retired on Tuesday, ending in one fell swoop a week of speculation over his future and one of the greatest NFL careers of all time — if not the greatest. It's no hyperbole to consider Brady among the game's greatest players — indeed, one of the greatest athletes in American sports history. He has put together arguably three Hall of Fame careers — one in his 20s, one in his 30s and another, somehow, in his 40s — and has achieved more in his 22 years... MORE: Tom Brady retires the undisputed NFL GOAT: Why there will never be a 'Next Tom Brady'

Hence, Brady is often referred to as the "GOAT." But what does that mean? The Sporting News is here to answer that question. No, Brady being the "GOAT" does not mean he is a hooved barnyard animal — it merely is an acronym for "Greatest Of All Time." That description is pretty apt for Brady, considering not... Roger Goodell showed just how committed Tom Brady is to maintaining excellence in both of his positions as a broadcaster and team owner. When Tom Brady finally received the approval from NFL owners to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, there were a lot of concerns regarding his dual role as a Fox Sports... However, a recent statement from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell showed just how committed the NFL legend is to maintaining excellence in both positions.

Since his retirement in 2023, Brady has maintained an active presence in the football community. And just as dedicated to football, which earned him the title of Greatest of All Time, he is equally committed to his new responsibilities as a Fox Sports analyst and Raiders owner. As Goodell revealed Brady frequently checks in with him to ensure that he balances both his roles effectively and does not result in any conflict of interest. Tom has been incredibly cooperative. He calls frequently about it and says, ‘Am I doing ok?’ And I think he’s serious about making sure that he separates these two and he doesn’t put the league or anyone in a... Roger Goodell says Tom Brady "calls frequently" to make sure he's balancing his owner and broadcaster responsibilities appropriately.

Tom Brady Why He S The G O A T Youtube

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