Watch: Relive Tom Brady's first piece of NFL action in 2000 Hall of Fame game
A the dawn of Tom Brady's Hall of Fame career, he made his NFL debut in the Hall of Fame of 2000. He entered the game for the New England Patriots versus the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth quarter. The Patriots led 20 – 0 with 9:36 left in the game. Brady completed three of his four passes for 28 yards. While there might not have been anything spectacular about the specific appearance, it certainly marked a special moment in NFL history.
New England drafted the Michigan quarterback in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
In the 2000 regular season for the Patriots, he only saw the field once. It was a Week 13 road game versus the Detroit Lions. He went for one of three with six yards passing as the Patriots were beaten into submission 34 – 9.
: @ProFootballHOF Game -- Thursday 8pm ET on NBC
: NFL+22 years ago in the Hall of Fame Game, we saw @TomBrady’s first NFL action. (via @nflthrowback)
📺: @ProFootballHOF Game -- Thursday 8pm ET on NBC
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However, in the 2001-02 season, the quarterback saw a great deal of action due to a franchise-altering injury to Patriots incumbent starter Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe suffered a concussion in a game against the New York Jets and Brady finished the game in relief of the starter. He went five for 10 with 46 yards passing in the team’s 10 – 3 loss to the Jets.
Nonetheless, Bill Belichick never looked back at Bledsoe as the sixth-round pick in Brady became New England’s succeeding starter. In that 2001-02 season, he threw for 2,843 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He miraculously led the Patriots to their first of three Super Bowls in four years, winning back-to-back Lombardi trophies in the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons.
This Day, 20 Years Ago: Bill Belichick names @TomBrady as his starter for Super Bowl XXXVI against the Rams.
For many, it doesn’t matter. At +14, the Pats are tied for third longest longshots in Super Bowl history.
The Patriots of course win and the rest is history. https://t.co/2NrtX3RK68
The rest was history as he won six Super Bowls, three AP NFL MVP awards, and was a three-time All-Pro in his two decades with New England.
Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020 and subsequently won his seventh Super Bowl, beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Last season, he led the NFL in passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43) at the age of 44.
Entering his 23rd season in the NFL this year, the 45-year-old looks set to add to his already Hall of Fame career. Considering his phenomenal multi-decade journey, it’s somewhat poetic to think that his Hall of Fame career started in one fateful Hall of Fame game 22 years ago.