After winning his fourth Super Bowl in six tries, and once again being claimed the title game's MVP, many NFL writers and former NFL players are shouting from the rooftops that Tom Brady is the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. Why? Because he plays in an era where QB statistics have exploded and he's won those aforementioned Super Bowls. Do you know who else has won four Super Bowls? Terry Bradshaw with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sadly this does not mean greatness. Bradshaw was an average quarterback, at best, who was blessed to play with two Hall of Fame wide receivers, a Hall of Fame running back, and a defense that was arguably one of the greatest defenses of all time. The third quarterback to win four Super Bowls? Joe Montana - a man widely considered to be the greatest QB of all time.
My top 5 all time QB list:
1. Joe Montana
2. Dan Marino
3. Roger Staubach
4. Peyton Manning
5. Johnny Unitas
So why isn't Brady on this list? Well, to start he's only had two truly great statistical seasons. One would be the famous 2006/2007 season when the only loss the Patriots suffered was against the Giants in the Super Bowl. That was also the season Belichick basically got Randy Moss from Oakland for a bag of (deflated) footballs and Moss remembered how great he was after leaving the Black Hole. Brady won his first NFL MVP award that year. His second truly great season came in 2010 when he set the record for TD:INT ratio and won his second MVP award. That's two truly great seasons out of the 14 Brady's been in the NFL. True he missed one season when Bernard Pollard destroyed his knee 8 minutes into the 2008 season. But the Patriots really didn't miss a beat with Matt "I Can't Believe I Tricked Scott Pioli Into Paying Me To Be a Starting QB" Cassel - going 11-5 and barely missing the playoffs. Would the Patriots have won an extra game and got into the playoffs with Brady at the helm instead? Maybe, but those are the breaks...
But four Super Bowls!?!? That must mean something since only two other players have done it in NFL History. Well, let's take a look at those...
Super Bowl XXXVI vs. St. Louis Rams
Brady was awful in this game - almost Ben Roethlisberger in his first Super Bowl awful - with a final stat line of 16/27 for 145 yds and 1 TD. We can forgive him for this because he was a rookie. This game was not won because of Brady. This game was won because the defense returned a Kurt Warner INT for a TD and the right leg of Adam Vinatieri.
Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
Brady had a much better outing this time going 32/48 for 354 yds, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. Basically the same stat line Jake Delhomme put up, though he didn't throw a pick. This game will most be remembered for Panthers kicker John Casey kicking the ball out of bounds on a kickoff in the final moments of the game. This provided an opportunity for Brady to drive a very short distance so Vinatieri could once again win the game for the Patriots.
Super Bowl XXXIX vs. Philadelphia Eagles
This time around Brady was outplayed by Donavan McNabb. Brady went 23/33 for 236 yds and 1 TD while McNabb went 30/51 for 357 yds and 3 TDS. Unfortunately for McNabb he also threw 3 INTs. The Patriots defense won this game, and it sure didn't hurt to have a rejuvenated Corey Dillon. This game is also more remembered for Terrell Owens bitching about how McNabb couldn't run the offense because he was too busy throwing up in the huddle.
Super Bowl XLIX vs. Seattle Seahawks
Brady actually put up pretty great stats in this game going 37/50 with 328 yds and 4 TDs. But he also threw two picks, and had a lower QBR and QB Rating than Russell Wilson. Brady did win MVP, but my thoughts are that honor should have gone to Julian Edelman. Brady also spent most of the game throwing screen passes. This was reminiscent of Brad Johnson's Super Bowl with Jon Gruden and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's not exactly a compliment to be compared to Brad Johnson.
I won't even get into the two Super Bowl loses against the Giants (2007 & 2011). Brady was harassed by the Giants defensive line for 120 minutes in those games and he lost to Eli "I'm Still Better Known Than Cooper - Maybe" Manning - who himself is an average QB at best.
While Brady was an elite QB for some of his seasons in New England, he cannot be considered the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.). He's not even in the conversation, though if I were to expand my Top 5 to a Top 10 there might be room for him on the list. But he would certainly come after some current QBs (Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning for instance) and some other guys who played in the same era. Plus he does that thing - A LOT - where he throws the ball into the ground, spins around, and falls to the ground. How could a guy be considered the greatest when he does that?
