Tom Brady in the Super Bowl: This is how his 9 NFL finals have gone so far
Title number 7 in the 10th Super Bowl?
The goat debate (Greatest Of All Time) is a popular one in every sport, including the NFL. However, with Tom Brady in the strongest American football league in the world, it is probably easier than anywhere else.
Because in the NFL there is no man who has dominated the sport as he has for the past 20 years. Brady and his New England Patriots shaped a dynasty.
In 19 years with the Pats, he achieved nine Super Bowls, of which he was able to win six. At the Super Bowl 2021 on February 7th, he is now in the final of the NFL championship for the 10th time!
We look back on his 9 Super Bowls so far – his greatest triumphs, his bitterest defeats and what the chances are for number 10.
The 1st Tom Brady Final: Super Bowl XXXVI vs. St. Louis Rams
The Tom Brady Super Bowl story with the New England Patriots began in 2001 as it ended in 2002: With a victory over the Rams – at that time still based in St. Louis. It was a very close final, which went to the Patriots at 20-17.
Brady, at that time a crisp 24 years old, was logically not the player he is today. It was one of his weakest or least noticeable performances in a Super Bowl. His passer rating of 86.2 was low for his standards.
His touchdown throw from the Redzone to David Patten ensured the interim 14-3 and thus for a kind of preliminary decision. Brady and his offence stayed silent for the last two quarters, but the Rams only got three points closer.
In the end, Tom Brady had 145 passing yards, by far the least of him in a Super Bowl. His touchdown was not faced with any interception.
All in all, a solid start to the career that was to follow – with the Super Bowl MVP to top it off.
Year Patriots Rams Tom Brady
2002 20 17 MVP; 1 TD
Tom Brady’s 2nd Final: Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina Panthers
In 2004, Tom Brady was a bit more mature and more like the player we know today. Accordingly, the game by Bill Belichik has already been tailored to his quarterback.
His 354 passing yards should represent his personal high for years, as well as his 32 completions. The passer rating was logically quite high at 100.5.
In contrast to the first Super Bowl, this was characterized by the offensive, the Panthers had to be outscored by the Patriots with 32-29 – with a significant contribution from Tom Brady. A proud three touchdowns went to the cap of the renewed Super Bowl MVP.
Again it was the 2nd quarter in which Brady fired up and made two TDs. His third took the lead four minutes before the end of the game. To win it still needed a 41-yard field goal from Vinatieri.
Nevertheless, Tom Brady showed himself here, who was to shape the sport for two decades like no other. He did not set NFL records until years later.
Year Patriots Panthers Tom Brady
2004 32 29 MVP; 3 TD
Tom Brady’s 3rd Playoff: Super Bowl XXXIX vs. Philadelphia Eagles
There were two firsts for Tom Brady in Super Bowl number three in 2005. On the one hand, it was his first when he wasn’t voted Most Valuable Player. However, due to the other premiere, it was easy to cope with.
Because the title from the previous year could be defended. A novelty for the then 26-year-old, which he should never repeat again. His third self-service ring in just four years in the NFL – a unique career even then.
Brady put his stamp on the game itself, getting two touchdowns in the 24-21 win and a QB rating of 110.2. And unsurprisingly, it was quartered two and three again in which he came up.
After this Super Bowl, the Patriots’ extremely dominant phase should end for the time being. The main reason: Eli Manning.
Year Patriots Eagles Tom Brady
2005 24 21 2 TD
Tom Brady’s 4th Final: Super Bowl XLII vs. New York Giants
The next two Super Bowls should take place without New England, but the return to the final in February 2008 should end particularly bitterly.
Tom Brady himself brought perhaps the worst performance in a bowl personally. In this low-scoring game, it took until the last quarter until Brady could write for the first time. And for a long time, it even looked as if he had got the decisive touchdown of the game.
Enter Eli Manning. The future MVP also needed until the last quarter, but then he showed up. The first TD was at the beginning, but the Giants quarterback started the final blow 35 seconds before the end. A stab in the heart of the Pats.
Tom Brady should only undercut his rating of 82.5 in an SB and a single TD will remain unique for a long time.
Year Patriots Giants Tom Brady
2008 14 17 2 TD
Tom Brady’s 5th Final: Super Bowl XLVI vs. New York Giants
The personal pain in the duel with Manning and the Giants was not yet shelved. Instead, it took New England four years to make it back to the Super Bowl in 2012, again the opponent was from New York.
But Tom Brady was willing to forget the shame of the last time. He brought the second-most yards and attempts in an SB on the lawn and his passer rating of 91.5 was impressive.
After a sleepy initial phase in which Brady passed an intentional grounding, he brought his team into the lead with two touchdowns. But again it was a late TD of the Giants – this time 57 seconds on the clock – who made the decision.
There was no further possibility for Tom Brady to take rematch against Eli Manning in the Super Bowl.
Year Patriots Giants Tom Brady
2012 17 21 2 TD
The best Tom Brady final: Super Bowl XLIX vs. Seattle Seahawks
Instead, the Patriots waited three years for the next finals. Opponents in 2015 were the favoured Seattle Seahawks and their “Legion of Boom”. However, the tough defence should grapple with the Pats.
Tom Brady himself had a crazy game. He threw the highest percentage of his self-service career, an incredible four (!) Touchdowns and two interceptions. In the end, there was a QB rating of 101.1 and the well-deserved MVP award.
Highlights of the crazy Super Bowl Patriots vs. Seahawks
The game went down in history because of something else. After an even game, the Pats took the lead in the 4th quarter 28-24. But the last attack belonged to Seattle, there were 26 seconds on the clock and 1 yard to the end zone.
Marshawn Lynch was almost unstoppable as a rusher this season. And yet the Seahawks decided to throw the ball – and forgave. To date, this decision is considered perhaps the worst in the history of the Super Bowl. Much to the delight of Tom Brady and his fourth ring.
Year Patriots Seahawks Tom Brady
2015 28 24 MVP; 4 TD
Tom Brady’s 7th Final: Super Bowl LI vs. Atlanta Falcons
In 2017, two years later, the next final entry in TB12 was – and Tom Brady was preparing to break two NFL records.
He had the most pass attempts ever (62) and the most completions (43). With 466 yards, he also set his personal best.
The game itself went down in history as arguably the biggest comeback in a Super Bowl. New England was already 3-28 behind, also because of Brady’s interception that led to the TD.
In the last quarter, however, the Patriots turned up, scored 19 points and saved themselves in overtime. Ultimately, the victory actually succeeded, also because of two Brady’s TDs and a 2-point pass – a deserved MVP award for the 39-year-old at the time.
Year Patriots Falcons Tom Brady
2017 34 28 MVP; 2 TD
Tom Brady’s 8th Final: Super Bowl LII vs. Philadelphia Eagles
The first title defense since 2004 should then be in 2018. Accordingly, Tom Brady worked hard in this high scoring final.
He pulverized his own passer rating with a value of 115.4 and also set an NFL record for most passing yards (505). But even his three touchdowns without interception should not be enough for victory.
Because Nick Foles and his Eagles played themselves into a frenzy, the quarterback himself became MVP with his three TDs of the Finals. 33 points from the Pats were not enough as Philadelphia scored 41 points.
On the side, Brady set a record, such as oldest quarterback in a final (40 years, 158 days) or most touchdown passes in Super Bowls (18).
Year Patriots Eagles Tom Brady
2018 33 41 3 TD
Tom Brady’s 9th Playoff: Super Bowl LIII vs. Los Angeles Rams
Tom Brady played in the Super Bowl for the last time in 2019 – it was the third NFL final in a row for him and his Pats.
Despite a clear 13-3 win, the quarterback personally probably doesn’t look back on that very much.
The Pats were known for their defense at the time, Brady himself already served more as a game manager. This is one of the reasons why he personally managed the fewest passing yards (262) since 2004 and, for the first time in his career, had no touchdown – instead, an interception.
The QB rating is also an all-time low for him at 71.3, but ring number six is ring number six. MVP was wide receiver Julian Edelman, the points brought almost exclusively kicker Stephen Gostkowski.
In the following season, the entry into the Super Bowl 2020 was missed, after which it was finally over between Tom Brady and New England.
Year Patriots Rams Tom Brady
2019 13 3 –
How’s the 10th Tom Brady Super Bowl going? 2021 against Kansas City Chiefs
Very few would have expected what followed. Brady actually made it to the Super Bowl again with his retirement team, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were pejoratively called – it’s just his competition.
There, however, the reigning champion awaits with the Kansas City Chiefs and therefore also the clear final favourite according to the NFL betting odds. After all, they put a scary offence around the brilliant playmaker Patrick Mahomes.
But Brady can still do it, as he impressively demonstrated in the Conference Championship against the Green Bay Packers – strong three touchdowns guarantee that. But there were also three interceptions, which he should fix in the Super Bowl as a matter of urgency.
Can Tom Brady win his 10th Super Bowl for the seventh time?
He would be the first to win the title with his team in their own stadium. That has never happened in NFL history and would be another record in Tom Brady Super Bowl history.
Betting Prediction: KC Chiefs
Odds: 1.60
Betting Prediction: TB Buccaneers
Odds: 2.45
