MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The tale is one that will live forever in New England Patriots lore.
It seems that when Tom Brady first ran into team owner Robert Kraft at the old Foxboro Stadium, the sixth-round draftee from Michigan had a pizza box under his arm and stopped to introduce himself. At the end of the brief conversation, Kraft says, Brady "looked me in the eye and said 'I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.' "
In the crush of press [...]
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The tale is one that will live forever in New England Patriots lore.
It seems that when Tom Brady first ran into team owner Robert Kraft at the old Foxboro Stadium, the sixth-round draftee from Michigan had a pizza box under his arm and stopped to introduce himself. At the end of the brief conversation, Kraft says, Brady "looked me in the eye and said 'I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.' "
In the crush of press conferences leading up to Sunday’s Super Bowl LII, Brady wished to clarify the punch line of the 18-year-old exchange. "I’m still going to dispute what was said on that day," Brady insisted. "I don’t think I said 'I’m the best decision.' What I believe I said was 'you’ll never regret picking me.'"
Reached a day later, Kraft shook his head and doubled down in comments to the Boston Herald. "They claim I don’t remember certain things," he said. "That one I remember, and I remember the look in his eyes and exactly how he said it."
This isn’t a case of semantics. Brady was ultimately proven true — drafting him at No. 199 surely was the best decision in Patriots history. Now, at 40 years old, he’s probably looking to smooth out his persona a bit. But New England football fans know the truth. The fierce competitor in Tom Brady leaked out in that bold remark. It’s a competitive streak that’s made him the greatest player of his generation, if not of all time.
When Brady leads the Pats into U.S. Bank Stadium against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night, the once-underdog quarterback and the former laughingstock franchise will be looking to simply pad an already storied legacy. The Brady-led Patriots are the NFL’s greatest dynasty in the Super Bowl era (1966-present) and no one else is a close second. They’ll be playing for an amazing sixth Super Bowl title in 17 seasons and can win three in a four-year span for the second time.
No other franchise approaches that stretch of domination. The Pittsburgh Steelers top the record books with six Super Bowl wins, but it took them 34 years to stock their trophy case.
All these years later, Brady reflected on a desire just to make the Patriots roster back in the summer of 2000. That’s how sixth-round picks think, after all.
"I just wanted to be a part of the team," he said. "I was part of a great team at Michigan and I felt like I could bring a lot of team spirit and enthusiasm to the Patriots. I was just hoping to one day get my opportunity and unfortunately it came when Drew got hurt."
Starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe’s chest injury (via Mo Lewis' crunching hit) on Sept. 24, 2001, opened the door for Brady. He was a bit wobbly at first, but come February and Super Bowl XXXVI, he flashed enough cool to lead the Pats down the field and into field-goal position in the final minute. Adam Vinatieri’s winning kick beat the St. Louis Rams and a dynasty was born.
Brady is not one to look back. The fitness freak insists he can play a few more seasons, with a stated goal of throwing until he’s 45. After winning the NFL’s MVP award for the third time Saturday, he’s clearly not slowing down. (Story, B1)
His teammates know to never doubt their leader. Safety Patrick Chung said this week that he was in awe when he first met Brady after getting drafted nine years ago, but that didn’t last long.
"I was starstruck at first, but then it was go-time," he said. "He’s a competitor. He gets us going. If he’s scoring touchdowns in practice, he’s [trash] talking. We go right back at him."
On Sunday, Brady will play in his eighth Super Bowl but an even more remarkable 37th playoff game. That’s more postseason contests than the entire roster of the Eagles has played in. It’s numbers like those that allow Brady to casually say things that almost defy reason. Yet they ring true.
While no one knows what’s churning through Super Bowl rookie and opposing QB Nick Foles’ mind today, Brady can comfortably treat the hype surrounding the day with a been-there-done-that coolness.
"Fortunately at this point I’ve had a lot of experience in this game," Brady said. "This very much feels like a week that I’m used to. I think that’s been a real positive for me. I know how to pace the week and ultimately I have to figure out how to be the best that I can be on Sunday night."
Truth be told, the Pats feel they’ve left a championship or two on the table over the last 18 years. Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants in the 2007 and 2011 seasons will sting forever.
"I remember the wins," said Pats safety Devin McCourty, "but, sure, you remember the feeling of that loss, too. We lost in '11 and then lost in the AFC Championship game in '12 and '13, so you kind of get that feeling that maybe we’ll never get that Super Bowl opportunity again. That’s why 2014 was so awesome, to finally get over that hump. Then last year, just how the game played out made it special."
New England’s second-half rally from a 28-3 hole to beat the Atlanta Falcons was just the latest Super Bowl win that made the hearts of the faithful back home skip a beat. All five Lombardi Trophies have come in games decided by four points or less, or in overtime. In each of those thrillers, Brady’s cool, competitive style rolled off his shoulder pads and into the veins of Troy Brown, Deion Branch, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, James White and so many other big playmakers.
As Brady has grown from the brash kid from California into the legend who’s outrunning Father Time, his competitive fire hasn’t dimmed.
"I didn’t want to let my teammates down then," he said, "and I certainly don’t want to let them down now. That part of me as a competitor has never really changed."