When Bucs' Tom Brady made history after beating his former team Patriots
After 20 long seasons with the New England Patriots, Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The star quarterback's ego clash with coach Bill Belichick reportedly soured their relationship towards the end. Hence, Brady’s return to Foxborough as the Bucs' quarterback was a highly anticipated encounter on October 3, 2021.
Brady’s return is also remembered for the unique record he set that day when the Bucs secured a thrilling 19-17 victory against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Kicker Ryan Succop scored in the fourth quarter by hitting a 48-yard field goal.
That night, Brady joined an elite club of quarterbacks who have won against all 32 teams in the NFL. He is accompanied by other legends like Drew Brees, Brett Favre, and his closest rival, Peyton Manning. Fran Tarkenton was the first QB to achieve this unique feat, and he was later joined by Joe Montana. Tarkenton and Montana secured victories against all 28 teams in the NFL in that era.
Brady’s 32 victories are followed by a few other QBs, namely Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes, and Alex Smith, who have achieved victories against 31 teams. Hence, Brady’s unique record requires skill, longevity, and a bit of luck.
Even though the Bucs secured a victory, Brady didn’t deliver by his standards. He passed for 269 yards, completing only 22 of his 43 passes with no touchdowns. However, he still delivered a crucial drive at the end of the game.
Fans rejoiced upon Tom Brady's return to Foxborough
During a post-game interview with Boston Sports, Brady expressed his feelings and said:
“I was just trying to keep my poise. I knew what we were going to be dealing with. I thought [the Patriots] made a lot of really good plays. Good to get a win on the road.”
Despite the loss, Foxborough kept supporting Brady and chanted his name throughout the game. In response, Brady said,=:
“That was pretty cool. This has been my home for 20 years. My kids were born here. It’s just a great town, great city, great area. I love it up here. I have so many people that I have relationships with. But this was about this team coming up here to win. This wasn’t about one player.”
The Bucs finished the regular season at 13-4 and later won a Super Bowl as well.