5 times Tom Brady buckled under pressure
Tom Brady will go down as the greatest quarterback in NFL history when he eventually calls it a career, but the 44-year-old shows no signs of slowing down, having re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady has sensationally backtracked on his decision to retire from NFL and has confirmed his intention to return in 2022 🏈
TB12 has won more Super Bowl rings than any other player in NFL history with seven, six of which came with the New England Patriots, where he spent 20 seasons before switching to Tampa Bay and bringing home another Lombardi in 2020. Brady has consistently shown, across his 22 seasons in the NFL, that he is excellent in pressure situations, but there are times when even the greatest player in league history has crumbled under the pressure.
5 times Tom Brady didn’t deal with pressure
#5 - Super Bowl XLII vs New York Giants
Tom Brady and the New England Patriots went 16-0 during the regular season in 2008, but that did not help as they lost the Super Bowl to Eli Manning and the New York Giants 17-14. He and his favorite target Randy Moss were kept relatively quiet on the day, with TB12 only passing for one touchdown and ending the game with a passer rating of 82.5.
This was one of the biggest upsets in NFL history, as the Giants had only snuck into the playoffs as a wildcard, having gone 10-6 during the regular season. The Patriots were 12-point favorites going into the big game, and it was clear that Brady didn’t live up to his lofty expectations.
#4 - 2003 Season Opener vs Buffalo Bills
It’s not often we see Tom Brady out on the field displaying such a lack of precision and calmness. That was, however, the case in the 2003 season opener against the Patriots’ division rival Bufffalo Bills. He threw four interceptions and had zero touchdowns as the Bills torched the Patriots 31-0.
TB12 had his worst career passer rating that day, too, with just a 22.5! He wouldn't have minded too much in the grand scheme of things, as the Patriots went on to win the Super Bowl that year.