Where Would Brady Rank all Time; Win or Lose?

I was watching one of those shows on ESPN the other day where guys sit around and argue and yell at each other. OK, I like those shows, sue me. One of the panelists when the topic was Tom Brady said something to the effect that he was not worthy to be mentioned in the same breath with Terry Bradshaw or Joe Montana because he lot two Super Bowls. Huh?

OK, let’s assume for a moment that he is somehow to blame for a loss (or gets credit for a win for that matter) in the ultimate team game. Tom Brady has played in five Super Bowl games and he’s still going. If the New England Patriots beat the Baltimore Ravens today, that will be six. Did Bradshaw play in six? No, he did not. He played in four. Did Montana play in six? No he didn’t. He also played in four.  Troy Aikman? Bob Griese? Roger Staubach? No, no and no. None of these even played in five Super Bowls, which Brady has already done.

So Brady is 3-2 in his Super Bowls. You say that like it’s a bad thing. Montana and Bradshaw did go 4-0. That is true. But if Brady wins today, and goes on to win in two weeks, that would give him four Super Bowl wins as well, plus he would have to runner-up finishes. Isn’t winning the AFC Championship Game a pretty big deal? They do hand out a trophy for that one too.

Also, let us not forget, in the two Super Bowls “he” lost, he had the Patriots in position to win late in the fourth quarter of both games. It was the defense that couldn’t stop Eli Manning in both of those games at the end. How is that Brady’s fault? He wasn’t even on the field.

How impressive is Tom Brady’s run over the past dozen years or so? Considering he did this in an era that also included Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger, I would say it borders on amazing. Oh sure, there were some great quarterbacks during Montana’s day too. There was Dan Marino, Phil Simms, John Elway and Bernie Kosar. Bradshaw had to contend with Griese, Staubach, Ken Stabler, and Fran Tarkenton. But the lineup Brady’s teams face? They  are all Hall of Famers and all Super Bowl winners. And to have that many of them and still win three (so far) yourself?

So, yes, maybe Brady does not deserve to be mentioned with Bradshaw or Montana. Maybe he is in a class all by himself at the top of the list.